This week70-year Record
DateHi. Lo. Hi. (yr.) Lo. (yr.)25 53 25 83(1939) 18(1940)26 52 40 72(1953) 21(1940)27 61 41 80(1998) 23(1955)28 53 45 83(1989) 23(1982)29 7547 87(1945) 22(195730 53 44 89(1998) 24(1941)31 58 35 84(1998) 24(1964)Total precipitation: 1.12 inches
Vol. 64 No. 13 April 2, 2009 Chestertown, MarylandUSPS 292-66075 cents
I
NDEX
Across the Bridge . . . . . . . . .A2Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B6Coming Events . . . . . . . . . .A22Courthouse Calendar . . . . . .A15Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A6Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A17Police . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A12Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B8Social Scene . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A19Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B1Sudoku . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A6Tides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A17
W
EEKLY
W
EATHER
By Thomas W. Eliason
Sheriff’s annual report shows a general increase in crime in Kent -- seepage A2 Longtime printing business sold, operationmoves to Rock Hall -- see page A11
Workers from Eastern Shore Glass & Metal, of Dover, Del., install an aluminum frame in anorth-facing window of Hodson Hall. The view is from the mezzanine looking at WicomicoHall.
Photo by Charlie Campbell ccampbell@chespub.com
Hodson Hall remake blends old and new
CHESTERTOWN – Hodson Hall is one of the constants of the Washington Collegeexperience. The dining hall opened in the1930s, and with updates and expansions hasserved the students ever since. Now, the building is again being expandedand modernized, to serve a growing student population not only as a dining hall but as amulti-purpose student center. Due to open inthe fall semester, Hodson Hall Student Center is starting to take shape. It still takes a littleimagination to see what the finished structurewill be; but it looks likely to become a major center of student life in future years.On March 26, Steve Kuhls, the college’scapital program manager, led a tour of theconstruction site that included Jared Halter,director of student activities, and Eric Mills,director of media relations. Also providinginformation on the construction was JaySchaefer, project superintendent for RoyKirby & Sons, the contractor on the renova-tion.Kuhls said the reconfigured Hodson isscheduled for completion Oct. 30, but headded, “We’re looking for every opportunityto expedite the schedule. Once we get itweather-tight, we can really roll.”
Chesterbridge ideas
floated by the SHA
CHESTERTOWN – Reinventing the wheeland riding back to the future may be what theState Highway Administration does best.The Chester River bridge has a history thatgoes back almost 200 years. For nearly a cen-tury before that, a ferry plied fromChestertown to Kingstown.In October 2006, officials from two coun-ties, Chestertown, and state agencies met todiscuss a “Route 213 Corridor” study. They began to think about the Chester River draw- bridge. That span, rebuilt two decades ago, hasgotten long in the tooth, while traffic alongWashington Avenue in Chestertown has grownto more than 20,000 vehicles per day.One of the first tasks was an “origins anddestinations study” for Chestertown and vicin-ity. Those results are still being analyzed.Cars crawl. The bridge is wearing out.The state held its first local meeting at theSHADistrict 2 office on the “Chester River Bridge Crossing” feasibility study Jan 23.Another took place March 26.Planning Director Gail Owings and CountyAdministrator Susie Hayman were amongthose who went from Kent County. QueenAnne’s County sent planner Helen Spinelli.Chestertown wasn’t represented at themeeting. Town Manager Bill Ingersoll saidTuesday that he was out of town. GibsonAnthony had originally planned to attend, butsaid Wednesday that he had not been able togo.However, he said generally his philosophyis, “We’ve got a bridge. Let’s take care of it.”He called several of the proposed options “per-functory.” All the same, he said, it might be agood idea to step back and look at the possibil-ities once more.Tuesday, Owings said the SHAconsultants“are looking at alternatives,” including twocrossings south of the present bridge, threeroutes through downtown, and the long-stand-ing northern alignment.
Chestertown is chosen as site for Main St. meeting
CHESTERTOWN – March26, Main Street Maryland cameto Chestertown. The organiza-tion’s quarterly managers’meeting was held here for thefirst time since Chestertown joined the ranks of Main Streettowns last year.Attending the meeting wereMain Street managers from asfar away as Frederick, here for a tour of the downtown areaand a workshop on “GreeningMain Street with NativePlants.” The meeting, on thesecond floor of Town Hall,drew some 40 attendees.There to greet the out-of-towners were Holly Geddes,chairwoman of Main StreetHistoric Chestertown’s board of directors, and Diane Fitzgerald,vice chairwoman. Also presentwere Bill Ruckelshaus, presi-dent of the DowntownChestertown Association andMSHC treasurer; andAugustine Cook, the MSHCsecretary.Board members of theMSHC include Mayor MargoBailey, Jana Carter, KennethCollins, Lee Cowperthwait,Craig Damon, Holly McCoy,
By Craig O’Donnell
Benefit for service dog raises more than $3,000
Riley, a 1-year-old female labradoodle, is a service dog that Amazing Tails is con-sidering for Jessica Harris. They got acquainted Saturday night during the fundrais-er at the fire hall in Millington.
Photo by Trisha McGee pmcgeel@chespub.com
MILLINGTON – Five-year-oldJessica Harris was the belle of the ball – even if the attire was casual and themusic was of the knee-slapping, toe-tapping variety.She captivated the crowd of about100 people who attended a bluegrassconcert at the firehouse here Saturdaynight, batting her big brown eyes atthe menfolk, smiling sweetly at thewomen, and playing with other chil-dren.She even had Riley eating out of her hand, literally.Riley, Geoffrey and Casey trav-eled from out of state. They are serv-ice dogs, and are specially trained toassist people with disabilities.Jessica needs a service dog.She was diagnosed at birth withVelo-Cardio-Facial Syndrome, achromosomal disorder that has affect-ed her intellectual and physical devel-opment. The specially trained dogwill alert when she is having a seizureor difficulty breathing, and will assistwith mobility and balance.The cost for the dog and its train-ing is estimated to be $5,000, which is pretty pricey for a family of six – Glenn, 46, Julie, 39, and their four children ages 5 to 17 – that relies onGlenn’s paycheck as a car salesman.Fortunately, the Harris family hasgreat friends and neighbors. Many of them contributed in some way toSaturday night’s concert, barbecuedchicken dinner, and silent auction.The fire company donated use of the hall and the auxiliary donated useof the kitchen; members of bothorganizations helped with the cook-ing.“Without the fire company, thisevent could never have happened.Their donation equaled well over $1,000, not to mention all the helpers because we could not have cooked allthe food,” said Cora White, who took a leadership role in organizing theshindig, along with her husbandKevin, who is pastor of GraceWesleyan Church in Millington.Cora White was especially appre-ciative of the help given by MartyFreeman, Paige Hickman, Rick Wallace and Edie Morales – all con-nected to the Community Volunteer Fire Company of Millington.Liz Starkey and other auxiliarymembers led the cleanup detail,which included scouring pots and pans.Area grocery stores gave gift cardsto keep the food costs down, and theAsbury, Crumpton, Double Creek Charge donated all the baked goods.“It was a beautiful communityturnout. I’m very, very impressed,”Cora White said in a telephone inter-view Tuesday night.The event raised $3,250, whichincluded 141 chicken dinners.
By Trisha McGee
By PeterHeck
By PeterHeck
(See HALL, Page A18)(See BRIDGE, Page A18)
Sylvia Maloney, at right, leads visiting Main Street Maryland man-agers on a tour of downtown Chestertown, March 26.
Photo by Peter Heck pheck@chespub.com
Papersizechanging
This week debuts a new,sleeker version of the
Kent County News
. Each page isone half inch narrower butremains the same length.The new size conserves paper and reduces the cost of production. The change fol-lows industry trends. Other Chesapeake Publishing paperson the Eastern Shore, includ-ing
The Star Democrat
inEaston,
Record Observer
inCentreville and
Times Record
in Denton, have made or willmake the same size adjust-ment.The change will notreduce the amount of newsmaterial in the paper.This and other streamlin-ing measures at the paper willhelp guarantee that the
Kent County News
continues to provide community news far into the future.
(See BENEFIT, Page A14)(See MAIN ST. Page A18)
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