Free rabies clinics available in Calvert

Keep your pets safe!

puppy“The Calvert County Health Department is sponsoring rabies clinics in the coming weeks, offering free rabies vaccinations for county pets.

Free clinics will be held at Northern High School, 2950 Chaneyville Road, Owings, on Saturday, April 5; Huntingtown High School, 4125 Solomons Island Road, Huntingtown, on Saturday, April 12; and Patuxent High School, 12485 Southern Connector Blvd., Lusby, on Saturday, May 3. Clinics will be open from 10 a.m. to noon. Proof of prior vaccination is required to receive the three-year vaccine. Eligible pets include cats, dogs and ferrets in carriers or on leashes and muzzled if necessary. Feral or stray animals cannot be accommodated.

Calvert County pet licenses will also be available at the rabies clinics. Pet licenses are $7 for spayed or neutered pets (proof required) and $20 for those not spayed or neutered.

For more information, call the Calvert County Health Department at 410-535-5400 or 410-535-3922. Visit online at http://www.calverthealth.org. For information on Calvert County Government, visit http://www.co.cal.md.us or like us on Facebook.”

Source: http://www.thebaynet.com/news/index.cfm/fa/viewstory/story_ID/36131

FHA says it won’t need another bailout

What do you think??

fha “The Federal Housing Administration, the largest insurer of low down payment mortgages,  says it will not need taxpayers to bail it out again this year.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development projected that the  FHA’s capital reserve fund will end the year with a positive balance of $7.8 billion.

Last year, FHA required a $1.7 billion infusion from the Treasury Department to build up  its depleted capital reserves to the level mandated by Congress — 2% of its $1.17 trillion  in loan balances. It was the first time in the agency’s 80-year history that it required such a  bailout.

FHA’s loan portfolio took a beating during the housing bust. It was nearly the only agency to  back loans for those who had little money saved for a down payment. At one point, FHA insured more than 25% of all loans, up from the low single digits during the boom years.

To help restore its reserves, the agency has raised its insurance premiums and now requires borrowers to keep paying the premium for the entire life of the loan.

There have also been fewer defaults, requiring the agency to make fewer insurance payouts. By the end of 2013, the delinquency rate for FHA loans was 10.47%, nearly four percentage points lower than the high of 14.36% seen in mid-2009.

Related: Cheap Obama mortgages to get more expensive

The housing market’s recovery has also helped push home prices higher, which is helping the agency reduce its losses when a home is foreclosed on and sold in auction. FHA said lenders have also been better at working with delinquent borrowers to help them prevent foreclosure.”

Source: http://money.cnn.com/2014/03/04/real_estate/fha-reserve/index.html

Charles County Curbside Collection of Yard Waste

Get Your Spring Clean On Charles County!

The Charles County Department of Public Works is pleased to announce that curbside collection of yard  waste will resume on Tuesday, April 1.

Acceptable items for curbside yard waste collection include grass, leaves, garden clippings, and brush.  Items must be placed in brown paper bags, a reusable container, or bundled for collection. Yard Waste in  plastic bags or containers weighing over 50 pounds will not be collected. Branches must be bundled and  not greater than four feet in length and no individual branch more than six inches in diameter. All reusable containers must have handles and be clearly marked with an “X” or “Yard Waste”. Yard Waste  will not be accepted if placed inside of a Recycling Cart.

Unacceptable items include loose branches and brush, plastic bags, dirt, rocks, sod, trash, and material exceeding the weight and size restrictions.

Weekly curbside collection of yard waste is only available to those residents who currently receive every-other week curbside recycling collection.

For more information, call the Department of Public Works, Environmental Resources Division, 301-932-3599 or 301-870-2778. Citizens with special needs may contact the Maryland Relay Service at 711, or Relay Service TDD: 866-269-9006.”

Source: http://smnewsnet.com/archives/97633/charles-county-curbside-collection-of-yard-waste/

Housing Comes Roaring Back To Life

Strong performance for 2013.

realestate“still down month to month though.

Stating that “expectations and recent data point to continued home price gains for 2014,” David M. Blitzer, the chair of the committee that oversees the S&P/Case-Shiller Housing Price Index, released data that showed a 13.2% increase in prices for the 12 months ended January 2014. That’s a strong performance, especially when compared to the housing market’s plunge from its highs of Spring/Summer 2006. The market in general is only 20% off its peak of eight years ago, and — as noted in the release — Dallas and Denver are within 1% of their all-time highs. However, month-to-month, the index dropped 0.1%, its third consecutive monthly decline. That’s a drop that I’d attribute to winter weather, as the housing market traditionally suffers when cold temperatures come. Certainly cities in the Sunshine State continued to perform, with Miami showing a monthly gain of 0.7% on a not-seasonally adjusted basis (even better, 1.2% when seasonally adjusted), and Tampa rising at 0.4% and 1.0%, respectively.

In fact, given how much snow got dumped on the U.S. in the past few months, it’s easy to predict that the next few monthly releases will show slight drops. Given the index’s two-month lag, it may be June before a month-to-month jump is announced.

That said, on a seasonally adjusted basis, the index is up 0.8% from December to January, and every one, yes, every one of the twenty metro areas covered showed a seasonally adjusted monthly jump. Those ranged from incremental (up 0.2% in Boston; up 0.4% in Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles and Phoenix) to fairly hot (Washington, D.C., is up 1.3% and 9.2% year-over-year, while San Francisco is up 1.7% for the month and a sizzling 23.1% year-over-year).

So the possibility for a very strong 2014 following the rises of 2013, even as the next few months of numbers come in a little soft, is very real.

Looking at ground-level data from another index released by Black Knight Financial Services, a mortgage data analytics company based in Jacksonville, Fla., shows strength in Texas (with Austin home prices just o.1% off peak, and Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio just 0.3% off their peaks) and recovery scattered throughout many mid-sized cities (Columbus, OH, prices are just 5.4% off their 2006 peaks, while Boston is down just 7.1%). If you’re a data geek, be aware that the index from Black Knight excludes some distressed sales that are included in Case-Shiller, so it’s generally going to look more moderate. In aggregate, the Black Knight index reads as flat month-to-month and up 8% year-over-year.

The X Factor, of course, is mortgage lending. The Federal Reserve under new chair Janet Yellen continues to taper its bond purchases, but her recent statement that the Fed would keep interest rates low for “a considerable period” has to be seen as a positive for real estate markets, since mortgage rates tend to follow Fed rates.

On that front, so far, so low: the most recent loan rates reported by the Mortgage Bankers Association, which tracks weekly mortgage applications and rates, were 4.5% for a standard 30-year-fixed loan, down .02 percentage points from the previous week, and 4.39% for a 30-year-fixed “jumbo” loan, also down 0.2 percentage points from the previous week.”

Source: http://time.com/36881/housing-comes-roaring-back-to-life/

Early Childhood Race to the Top Grant Awarded

Early Learning Program Funding Awarded To SMC For The Little Guys! 🙂

learn

“The St. Mary’s Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC) has been awarded the Maryland State Department of Education’s Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge Grant (RTT-ELC). The RTT-ELC is a program jointly administered by the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Funds administered at the state level will expand and improve learning services and development programs for children, from birth to 5 years old. The grant awarded to the ECAC on February 5 is in the amount of $29,900 and is to be implemented over a three year period.

The Early Childhood Council is made up of about three dozen representatives from agencies in the county, including the St. Mary’s County Department of Aging & Human Services, Department of Social Services, St. Mary’s Public Library, St. Mary’s Health Department, St. Mary’s County Public Schools, child care providers and others.

“This grant will allow us to pull together a lot of the good work being done to help young children and their families. It provides us and the family a chance to address the achievement gap before it becomes a chasm,” said Kelsey Bush, Youth Coordinator for the St. Mary’s County Department of Aging & Human Services.

In St. Mary’s County grant funds will be used to support a comprehensive approach to superior early learning programs. Specific projects grant funds will improve include:

• Providing two buses for Early Learning Fairs at Park Hall and Lexington Park Elementary Schools. The buses will provide transportation for parents to register their children for kindergarten;

• Train council members, agency staff and interested community members on the impact of growing up in poverty;

• A strategic planning contractor who will set up the first six months of content management for a social media campaign;

• Identify and train “Community Mentors” within targeted neighborhoods that will help families find programs and become aware of services;

• Train ECAC members in Maryland’s Early Childhood Family Engagement framework;

• Print a yearly booklet of low cost events that take place locally;

• Planning of an annual retreat;

• Training the ECAC on maintaining social media postings.

Acting as the fiscal agent in St. Mary’s County for administering this grant will be the Promise Resource Center. The Promise Resource Center is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to providing training, resources and certification for those who care for children in the tri-county area.

“Our non-profit status will make it possible for the Promise Resource Center to receive donations on behalf of the ECAC from individuals and companies. Donations that are received may allow the ECAC to add additional projects or extend the current ones selected. The Promise Resource Center’s specialized work mirrors the grant requirements set forth by the Maryland State Department of Education – making it a complementary fit for managing the grant,” said Siobhan Ponder, Executive Director for the Promise Resource Center.”

 

Source: http://smnewsnet.com/archives/97414/early-childhood-race-to-the-top-grant-awarded/

Southern Maryland volunteer opportunities

volunteerHave some spare time on your hands???

“The Maryland Veteran Memorial Museum in Charles County seeks volunteers for projects and administrative duties. Call Larry Abell or Cindy Keesee at 301-932-1900.St. Mary’s County Historical Society is looking for help in the office, library, archives, bookstore, Old Jail Museum and gardens, as well as with lectures, school programs and special events. No experience is necessary. Susan Wolfe, 301-475-2467.
Hospice of St. Mary’s needs volunteers to help with patient care, administrative work, cooking at Hospice House, bereavement services and fundraising. Training is required. Katy Crowell, 301-994-3075, or mary_crowell@smhwecare.com.Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Arts Center needs help with its gift shop, welcome desk and special events. Crystal Seay, 410-326-4640, orinfo@annmariegarden.org.Charles County Children’s Aid Society seeks volunteers for office duties. 301-645-1561 or Info@childrens-aid-society.org.

Calvert County Historical Society needs volunteers to help plan events and to inventory and transcribe records at Linden House, 70 Church Cir., Prince Frederick. 410-535-2452 orcchsadmin@calverthistory.org.

St. Mary’s Animal Welfare League needs foster homes, board members and volunteers to help with socializing animals, publicity, fundraisers and adoption events. 301-373-5659.

Birthright of Prince Frederick needs volunteers to work with pregnant women at its center on Steeple Chase Drive, Prince Frederick. Bari-tennette McKinley, 410-257-1402.

Piney Point Lighthouse Museum and Historic Park needs volunteers to assist with group tours, weekend visitors, special events, children activities, the gardens and the museum store. 301-994-1471 or www.stmarysmd.com.

Port Tobacco River Conservancy needs volunteers for restoration projects. Jerry Forbes, 301-392-9362 or jforptrc@comcast.net.

Sotterley Plantation needs museum shop help and interpreters for guided tours. 301-373-2280 or volunteer@sotterley.org.

St. Mary’s Hospital needs high school-age and adult volunteers. Call 301-475-6453 or go to www.stmaryshospitalmd.org.

Calvert Memorial Hospital needs help with the patient information desk, the gift shop, the emergency department, urgent-care centers and the patient shuttle. Susan Stevens, 410-414-4523.

Civista Medical Center needs volunteers to help throughout the week, including evenings, in many areas of the hospital and at facilities in Waldorf and La Plata. Training provided. 301-609-4129.

Leonardtown Volunteer Rescue Squad needs volunteers for patient care as ambulance drivers and for the auxiliary. No experience needed. Training provided. 301-475-8509 or www.lvrs.org.

Bay Community Support Services needs volunteers. Call Rachel McDermott at 301-863-8870.

Accokeek Foundation seeks volunteers for its museum garden program, which runs from April through November. 301-283-2113 or volunteers@accokeek.org.

American Cancer Society offers volunteer training in Southern Maryland. 301-261-6000 or 888-603-4304.

Calvert Healthcare Solutions needs help with fundraising activities and events. Raymon Noble, 410-414-5628, or rnoble@chesapeake.net.

Pets on Wheels, a nonprofit therapy animal organization that visits nursing homes, hospitals and assisted-living facilities, seeks volunteers in Southern Maryland. Go towww.petsonwheels.org to review volunteer requirements or to submit an application. Contact Vicki Rummel, executive director, at vicki@petsonwheels.org or 410-913-5569.

St. Mary’s County Emergency Services is seeking volunteer first responders. For information, call 301-475-4200, Ext. 2114, o e-mail emergencyservices@stmarysmd.com.

Alternatives for Youth and Families needs foster parents in Southern Maryland. Sarah, 301-884-0312, Ext. 122.

Best Buddies of Southern Maryland seeks volunteers 18 and older to create one-on-one friendships with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 877-632-8339.

Boys & Girls Club of Southern Maryland needs parent volunteers to support programs and activities, committee members, committee leaders and board members. E-mail info@bgcsm.net

Calvert Meals on Wheels needs volunteer drivers to help deliver meals to the homebound. 410-535-4606 or 301-855-1170.

TO SUBMIT AN ITEM

E-mail: smliving@washpost.com

Fax: 410-267-6972

Mail: Volunteers, Southern Maryland Local Living, The Washington Post,
3 Church Cir., Annapolis, Md. 21401-1902.

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/southern-maryland-volunteer-opportunities/2014/03/03/8e9ccbbc-9ef5-11e3-b8d8-94577ff66b28_story.html

Historic St. Mary’s City Bridal Show Scheduled

 Begin planning your big day at HSMC's Hearts & History Bridal Show on February 23

Begin planning your big day at HSMC’s Hearts & History Bridal Show on February 23

How do you create a wedding that is as unique as you?   Find out at Hearts and History, the third annual bridal show sponsored by Historic St. Mary’s City (HSMC) and Expressions of St. Mary’s, exclusive caterer to the living history museum.  Discover the best the region offers at the State House of 1676 (47418 Old State House Road) on Sunday, February 23 from 1 to 4 p.m.

Tour distinctive sites, including the State House, the gazebo, and The Inn at Brome Howard.  Taste delicious food—Expressions will offer delectable displays to inspire (and fuel) guests.   Meet some of the most creative vendors in the wedding world.  Many will be offering giveaways and one lucky bride will win half-off site rental at The Inn at Brome Howard or HSMC (excluding equipment) and half-off food for her rehearsal dinner (excluding alcohol). The winner’s wedding must be booked at HSMC or The Inn and catered by Expressions of St. Mary’s.  Discounts are non-transferable.

Admission is $10 at the door or R.S.V.P – 240-895-4991 or events@stmaryscity.org – and save $5.  Take the first step towards your happy-ever-after, make your reservation today.

source: http://www.thebaynet.com/news/index.cfm/fa/viewstory/story_ID/35023

Nominations for Woman of the Year and Woman of Tomorrow Awards

I LOVE THIS!

rosie

2014 WOMEN OF TOMORROW AWARDS   CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

The Maryland Commission for Women, the Maryland State Department of Education and the Friends of the Maryland Commission for Women are seeking recommendations of outstanding young women from Maryland, in grades 7-12, for our 2014 Women of Tomorrow Awards. Young women are honored in three different grade groupings: grades 7-8, 9-10, and 11-12. There will be six honorees, two per grade grouping, a First Place winner and an Honorable Mention.

The Women of Tomorrow Awards was established in 1997 to honor and acknowledge extraordinary young women that have demonstrated a commitment to community service and academic excellence. Maryland will continue to flourish because of our future women leaders and their unceasing commitment to community. The Women of Tomorrow Awards gives us the opportunity to honor these remarkable young women. We invite schools, organizations and individuals to take the time to nominate a deserving young woman who has made a difference in the lives of others in their schools and community.

An independent committee representing a cross section of citizens of the state will review the nominations and make the final recommendations. The Maryland Commission for Women will honor these individuals in a special ceremony in June of 2014. The selection process and criteria for nominees is specified in detail on the enclosed form. All nominations must be postmarked or emailed no later than Friday, February 28, 2014 and if being mailed please send to the Maryland Commission for Women, 311 W. Saratoga Street, Suite 272, Baltimore, MD 21201. Please direct any questions to the Commission’s office at 410-767-3049.

Nomination Criteria
The mission of the Women of Tomorrow Award is to honor those young women who, through their efforts and academic achievement, have made a significant and remarkable contribution to their communities.

Nominees may be both living and/or deceased, and will be selected by merit, not endorsement.

Nominees must have been born in Maryland or lived a significant portion of their lives in Maryland and currently live in Maryland.

Nominees must have made significant and lasting contributions to their community while achieving academic excellence.

Nominee must currently be in one of the following grade grouping:

Grades 7-8, Grades 9-10, Grades 11-12

Instructions for Submitting Nominations
List any significant contributions this young woman has started or encouraged others to contribute.
Identify the goals that she has set for herself and how she is accomplishing these goals.
Include a brief biographical sketch including information on the nominee’s education (including GPA and other academic factors) and volunteer activities.

Identify the nominee’s outstanding achievement, accomplishment or contribution for which she should be considered. A listing of other accomplishments may be included.

Explain the benefit of her contribution to her community and/or school.

Explain any hardships that she may have encountered that make her accomplishments above and beyond those of other young women.

Explain the enduring value of her contribution to her community.

Outline her leadership abilities and her ability to inspire those around her.

Include no more than two letters of recommendation. Recommendation letters should be typed and sent as part of the nomination packet. Nomination packets may include supporting documents such as pertinent newspaper and magazine articles, primary works. Please only include essential documents that communicate the nominee’s accomplishments as concisely and directly as possible.
All materials submitted must be written clearly, preferably typed single space, numbering no more than 12 pages (NOT INCLUDING THE APPLICATION). Any pages beyond 12 will be discarded.

Please note that most of this criterion will be filled in on the attached application with the exception of the letter of recommendation, the brief summary and the essay. Criterion answered on separate sheets WILL NOT be counted against the 12 page maximum amount of pages. All nominations must be postmarked no later than Friday, February 28, 2014.

General Rules
The Women of Tomorrow Award is open to all young women of Maryland regardless of race, color, national origin, physical challenge, religious or political affiliation. Immediate family members of the Commissioners and staff of the Maryland Commission for Women are ineligible to apply.

The nominator must not be related to the person they nominate.

Nominators may only nominate ONE young woman for this award.

The nominee must currently be in grades 7-12

Awards may be posthumous.

Only nominations submitted on this official nomination form will be accepted (the form may not be altered or re-typed in anyway).

Incomplete forms will not be forwarded to the Selection Committee for review.

Only nominations postmarked or emailed by Friday, February 28, 2014 will be accepted.

Nomination packets and supporting documents become the property of the Maryland Commission for Women and will not be returned.

Nomination packets are to be postmarked or emailed by Friday, February 28, 2014. Items to be mailed to the address listed below or emailed to billie.ruth-bailey@maryland.gov

2014 WOMEN OF TOMORROW NOMINATION FORM
I/we, the undersigned, present the following nomination packet for consideration:
(Please complete this entire form, type or print in ink or email to billie.ruth-bailey@maryland.gov)
PART A: IDENTIFYING INFORMATION
Nominator’s Name:____________________________________________________________________________
Nominee’s Name: _____________________________________________________________________________
Date of Birth: ____________ If deceased, include date of death: _____________________ Grade: _____________
Nominee’s School Name:________________________________________________________________________
School Adress:________________________________________________________________________________
Place of Birth: ____________________________________ Length of Maryland Residency: __________________
Mailing Address: ______________________________________________________________________________
City, State, Zip: _______________________________________________________________________________
Home Telephone: ________________________________ Cell Phone: ___________________________________
Email Address (Nominee or Parent): _______________________________________________________________
Name of Parent or Guardian (Please Print): _________________________________________________________
Street Address if different than above: ______________________________________________________
City, State, Zip: ________________________________________________________________________
Relative’s Home Telephone: ____________________________ Work Telephone: ___________________
Cell Phone: ___________________ Relative’s Email address:____________________________________
Advancing Solutions for Maryland Women
Please provide two references from individuals who are knowledgeable of the nominee’s achievements, character and are from the community served:
References:
Name: ________________________________________________ Phone: ________________________________
Organization/School: ___________________________________________________________________________
Mailing Address: ______________________________________________________________________________
Name: _______________________________________________ Phone: _________________________________
Organization/School: __________________________________________________________________________
Mailing Address: ______________________________________________________________________________
As Nominator, Please provide the following information:
Person(s)/Organization submitting Nomination: _____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Organization: _________________________________________________________________________________
Mailing Address: ______________________________________________________________________________
City, State, Zip: ________________________________________________________________________________
Home Telephone: _________________________________Work Telephone: ______________________________
Cell Phone: _________________________________________Fax: ______________________________________
Email: _______________________________________________________________________________________
Print Name and Title of Nominator:
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Nominator’s Signature:
________________________________________________________________Date:________________________
Received by the Maryland Commission for Women: ___________________

PART B: CRITERIA/FACTORS FOR CONSIDERATION
Please provide information about the nominee for the following criteria. (Attach additional sheets if needed.)
Criterion 1: Significant Contribution
The nominee has taken the initiative to start special projects in her community that involve others, or has the possibility in the future of encouraging others to contribute. (Ex: Planting bay grasses for ecology / Sandwiches to the Homeless / Tutoring the disadvantaged.)
Specify:
Criterion 2: Goals & Objectives
The nominee has set goals for herself for the future and is pursuing the objectives that she needs to accomplish in order to accomplish those goals.
List:
Criterion 3: Enthusiasm/Passion/Commitment
The nominee possesses superior drive or determination, which she uses to follow through with her set goals and objectives.
List:
Criterion 4: Pursuit of Academic Excellence
The nominee has an exceptional academic record and/or has demonstrated significant effort towards improvement in her level of academic achievement.
Grade Point Average: _________________________ On Scale of: ______________________
Other academic factors, i.e., vocational fields, in-depth studies, honors or AP courses
Criterion 5: Leadership
The nominee assumes a leadership role in school and/or community activities, has the ability to inspire others and generate enthusiasm, and/or leads with her actions in ways such as volunteering, expressing individuality, and being a diligent worker.
List:
Criterion 6: Extraordinary Attributes
What, if anything has the nominee done that has not been covered elsewhere in the application that you would like to share whether it’s something above and beyond what she has done/accomplished or some adversity that she may have overcome?
Details:

PART C: SUMMARY
On a separate sheet, write a brief summary about the nominee elaborating upon the above criteria. Feel free to include input from the nominee. MUST BE COMPLETED BY THE NOMINATOR.

PART D: NOMINEE
Questions MUST be completed by nominee on a separate sheet
1) What does a Woman of Tomorrow mean to you?
2) Define a LEADER.

What woman in history or alive today do you admire? Why? When responding to this question, please state a woman in history that is not a relative.

 

Source: http://smnewsnet.com/archives/89820

CalvART Gallery’s New Year Party

 Support Local Artists!

“CalvART Gallery artists want to celebrate with our friends patrons and interested others. Come celebrate on Saturday, January 11th, 2014 from 5pm to 8pm.  CalvART’s Saturday receptions have become a place to meet, talk, enjoy music, eat and drink while surrounded by beautiful work.

The Gallery’s most popular show continues — “Small Works/ Exquisite Gifts.”  CalvART remains filled with amazing jewelry, pottery, paintings, ornaments, glass and woodwork. As always, CalvART has an abundance of new art every month.  Come often to see what is added to the gallery!

CalvART Gallery is a unique, local venue offering regular showings of new art by both our members and special exhibits by non-members.  Our artists are part of your community and are dedicated to enriching the lives of others through art and through their involvement and collaboration with other organizations working to preserve and improve natural and human resources in Southern Maryland. Great art is always on sale at CalvART Gallery.

The Gallery is located in the Prince Frederick Center at Rt. 231 and Rt. 4 and Duke St. (nestled between Sakura and Dreamweaver Café) in Prince Frederick. The gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday from 11am to 5pm. .  For more information please visit http://www.calvartgallery.org or visit us onFacebook: Calvart Gallery

Source: http://www.thebaynet.com/news/index.cfm/fa/viewstory/story_ID/34907