FREE County TimesTHURSDAY, MAY 28 2020 WWW.COUNTYTIMES.SOMD.COM 2 0 20375 Point Lookout Rd, Great Mills www.dysonbuildingcenter.com / 301-994-9000 100% SOLAR POWERED 2 Your Local Family Hardware Store C atulati s Ryan Gibs & All The 0 2020 GraduatingGraduates! With Class ON THE COVER 2 The County Times Thursday, May 28, 2020 CONTENTS GRADUATING WITH CLASS LOCAL 3 COPS & COURTS 8 GRADUATION PULLOUT 12 COMMUNITY 27 EDUCATION 30 LOCAL COMMUNITY OBITUARIES 32 COVID-19 survivor tells her story Wilkes seeks to unseat Hoyer in District 5 Democratic Primary CONTRIBUTING WRITERS 37 “THOSE WHO RAISED THEIR RIGHT BUSINESS DIRECTORY 38 HAND, TOOK AN OATH, WENT INTO BATTLE AND NEVER RETURNED.” FUN & GAMES 39 MD VETERANS SECRETARY GEORGE OWINGS ON MEANING OF MEMORIAL DAY. WEEKLY FORECAST % LOCAL COMMUNITY NEWS SERVING CALVERT & ST. MARY'S COUNTY ON NEWSSTANDS EVERY THURSDAY & ONLINE AT COUNTYTIMES.NET CountySt. Times Mary’s County ● Calvert County DO YOU FEEL CRABBY WHEN YOU GET YOUR P.O. Box 250 • Hollywood, Maryland 20636 301-373-4125 INSURANCE BILL www.countytimes.net CountySt. Times Mary’s County ● Calvert County For staff listing and emails, see page 39 IN THE MAIL? GIVE US A CALL. BRYANS ROAD Calvert County Grads YOU’LL BE GLAD YOU DID. th! LEONARDTOWN Featured June 4 Burris’ Olde Towne Insurance Auto • Home • Business • LIFE LEONARDTOWN BRYANS ROAD 301-475-3151 301-743-9000 WWW.DANBURRIS.COM AN INDEPENDENT AGENT REPRESENTING ERIE INSURANCE GROUP Thursday, May 28, 2020 The County Times Local News 3 Rally Pushes to Reopen St. Hogan Eases COVID-19 Mary’s Businesses, Change Restricitons By Guy Leonard open, the governor said. Laws Staff Writer For restaurants providing outdoor By Guy Leonard nesses operating. Noting significant declines in CO- seating, there can be no more than six Staff Writer “If they could meet all the health require- VID-19 infection rates throughout the people seated per table and menus and Dozens of people supporting the Reopen ments before the pandemic, why can’t we state, Gov. Larry Hogan announced tables and seats must be sanitized be- St. Mary’s movement, which seeks to have trust them to do it afterwards?” Rey asked. Wednesday that starting May 29 res- fore reuse. the state relent from its pandemic-induced “Why can’t they institute the same kinds of taurants could reopen to outdoor din- Hogan noted that many communi- restrictions on bars, restaurants and churches, practices as stores like Wal-Mart, which have ing and other outdoor sporting activi- ties around Maryland had closed some marched along Route 235 May 23 to boost been open the whole time?” ties and social organizations can also streets to allow restaurants to expand support for their cause. Del. Matt Morgan, a former colleague of resume with some restrictions still in their outdoor seating and encouraged But more than just pressing Gov. Larry Rey’s, announced May 27 that the House Re- place. counties to find “creative ways” to help Hogan to ease his restrictions on businesses publican Caucus had written to Hogan press- He even noted that Prince George’s restaurants. being allowed to open up to full capacity, the ing him to relax restrictions on businesses and Montgomery counties had been “It can help many struggling restau- movement, which part of a statewide effort, is such as restaurants, bars and gyms, which are able to cut the positive test rates for CO- seeking to amend the law that gives the gover- largely still closed. rants to survive this crisis,” Hogan said. VID-19 by more than 50 percent; also, nor his emergency powers. “While we are not requesting an immedi- If COVID-19 metrics continue to “We want to see businesses and church- ate return to normalcy, we do believe we can the death rate has dropped by about 50 trend downward, Hogan said, Phase es… back to 100 percent” before the pan- and should open many more businesses and percent. No. 2 of the state’s recovery plan could demic, said Deb Rey, a former state delegate activities at a faster pace,” Morgan wrote in a “We’ve been encouraged by all the begin as early as next week. for St. Mary’s and a member of the reopen public statement. “We believe that if Lowe’s Stage No. 1 openings across the state,” Under the second phase of the plan leadership. and Walmart can be open, restaurants and Hogan said. more so-called non-essential business- She and others dispute the legitimacy of gyms can responsibly re-open at least at 50 Youth camps can resume, the gover- es would be allowed to open and restric- Hogan’s many executive orders during the percent capacity. nor said, as well as youth sports as long tions on restaurants would be further pandemic and want to change the law, par- We encourage the state to grant waivers to as contact can be lowered, and group relaxed. ticularly Title 14 of the state’s constitution that restaurants to allow them to use areas outside sizes limited. Hogan warned that COVID-19 still provides for emergency powers. of their facilities for outside seating. Further, Also, no out-of-state campers will be presented a deadly threat, but it was one Particularly they want to change how many we believe outdoor ceremonies like gradua- allowed and campers and staff will have Marylanders could defeat with patience times the governor can extend executive or- tions and drive-in movie theaters can be re- to have daily symptom checks. and caution. ders without the consent of the state legisla- sponsibly re-opened.” Outdoor swimming pools can also “We must all continue to be more vig- ture and they also want to amend his powers Rey said the key was to amend the funda- be reopened, Hogan said, at 25 percent ilant,” Hogan said. “COVID 19 is still under the law to force people to be vaccinated. mental emergency powers of the state. of capacity and with warnings clearly very much a deadly threat… [but] we Rey said business owners she has spoken “In the end we need to change the law,” Rey posted that anyone who is ill should not truly are on the road to recovery.” with are worried by the powers of the state said. use the facility. [email protected] under the pandemic, including having their [email protected] Drive-in movie theatres can also re- licenses revoked for trying to keep their busi- Bowen's Grocery Get Ready Family Owned & Operated Since 1929 The Charm and Quality of the Past with the Convenience and Variety of Today For Summer USDA Choice Beef With Great Looking “Our Own” Freshly Ground Chuck “Our Own” Frozen Hamburger Patties T-Shirts From Steaks • Pork Chops • Fresh Chicken Cecil’s Country Store Southern Maryland Stuffed Ham Many New MD Styles Now in Stock FULL LINE OF GROCERIES, MEAT, PRODUCE Fresh MD Crab Meat Hershey’s “BEST” Lump • Jumbo Lump Hand-Dipped Ice Cream 16 Taste Tempting Flavors Full Service Deli Half Gallons - 30 Flavors! OPEN THURS- SUN Breakfast Pints • Ice Cream Cakes 10AM - 5PM Platters • Sandwiches * * * * * Boars Head Furniture | Antiques Subs • Sandwiches Deli Meats • Cheeses Home Decor | Jewelry Large Selection Condiments •Specialty Items Mary Lou Troutman "Our Own" Homemade Burgers • Wraps Dixie Belle Paint French Fries • Onion Rings • Curly Fries Berger Cookies Scrapbooking & Stamping Soups • Salads • Sides Desserts LOCAL HONEY ICE - BAGS • BLOCKS WINE • COLD BEER EXCHANGEABLE PROPANE TANKS 4300 Hunting Creek Rd • Huntingtown, Maryland 301-994-9622 410-535-1304 follow us on facebook 410-257-2222 20853 Indian Bridge Rd | California, MD | www.CecilsCountryStore.com MON-FRI 6 AM - 8 PM • SAT-SUN 7 AM - 8 PM 4 Local News The County Times Thursday, May 28, 2020 WEEK 5-25-2020 COVID-19 Cases at Veterans’ THIS WEEKS NURSERY Home Continue to Climb TOP PICKS By Guy Leonard the risk of the virus being introduced into ANNUALS & PERENNIALS Staff Writer the facility by any one person is greater The Charlotte Hall Veterans Home because you have so many more staff continues to have a high concentration of who come and go and so many more COVID-19 cases in St. Mary’s County with residents that may need outside medical 172 confirmed; 122 residents either have or attention,” Brewster said. “This, combined have had the disease according to the St. with the asymptomatic spread of a highly Mary’s County Health Department. contagious virus, presents an extraordinary The remainder, 50 cases, were among challenge for infection control.” staff at the facility according to the latest All the long-term care facilities here have figures. worked hard to combat the virus, she said. Begonia Canna Coreopsis Echinacea The two other assisted living facilities in “All of our long term care facilities in Whopper® Toucan® aur. ‘Nana’ Aloha St. Mary’s County, Chesapeake Shores and this county were aggressive early on in Red with Coral 1 GAL 1 GAL St. Mary’s Nursing Center have seen no the course of this pandemic, implementing Green Leaf 1 GAL increase in their COVID -19 cases. measures to minimize the risk of infection, #10 Chesapeake Shores reports eight cases, including those required by state orders,” two among residents and six among staff, Brewster said. “But you can't completely while St. Mary’s Nursing has reported no close the doors to risk. You are taking ORNAMENTAL LANDSCAPE SHRUBS COVID-19 cases since the outbreak three care of a very vulnerable population that months ago. has medical issues - they are inevitably As of Tuesday, there were a confirmed going to need outside medical services that 396 coronavirus cases throughout the require them to leave the facility and obtain county and 15 deaths.