I’ll take this opportunity to toot my horn by mentioning that I won the contest several years back.  I had just bought my first digital camera and had delusions of being a photographer (just like I bought my first laptop and have delusions of being a blogger).  It just goes to show, if you snap enough pictures (and you have that luxury with a digital camera), you will inevitably take a good one.  It also helps to have good photo editing software (all the old school photographers are cringing…).

Take your camera with you if you’re staying close to home over Labor Day weekend, and look for a winning subject.  The weather should be great if Earl minds his own business.  Or, take a look through your summer photos and see if you caught a quintessential Cape moment this summer.  We all have one buried in our My Pictures or iPhoto directories, somewhere…

—Cape Blogger

Cape Calendar 2003

The 2011 Graul’s Super Plunge Team has set another goal of $30,000, bringing their lifetime total to over $100,000.  Help make it happen by attending this year’s “Last Party of the Summer” at the Broadneck Elks Lodge.  Good food, good people, good times, and all for a GOOD CAUSE.  You can’t miss for just $10 per person.

Event Details
Date: Saturday 08/28/10
Time: 7pm to 11pm
Address: 931 Lake Drive Arnold, MD 21012

Details:  There will be games of chance, a wonderful raffle with quite a few (I mean quite a few) items from local businesses, Food, Non Alcoholic Drinks, Cash Bar, and LIVE MUSIC.

Ticket Information:  You may purchase tickets from Len, Pat, Donna, or at the Graul’s Office in Cape St. Claire.  The Price is $10.00 per person.  For further details please call 410-279-7780 or email plungex24@aol.com.

Jousting is the State Sport of Maryland, a challenging event where the horse and rider must gallop in a straight line for 80 yards and spear three small rings hanging 6′ 9″ off the ground with a lance. The the higher the “class” the smaller the ring size. The performances at competitions like St. Margaret’s Joust are the result of years of practice for both the riders and the horses.

St. Margaret’s Ring Joust and Country Faire
Saturday, July 10, 2010
St. Margaret’s Church
1601 Pleasant Plains Rd., Annapolis
10:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
$8/car; $5 walk-in (kids 6 and under free)
410-974-0200

http://www.smjoust.org/
http://www.outreachprocesspartners.org

This is a family event for both the jousters and the local community. Featured events include beginner and professional-class jousting, crafts, food, children’s activities, and more. Proceeds help support local charities.

Along with Special Olympics, We Care and Camp Face. We have added a 4th charity to our beneficiaries; Special Love which operates a summer camp for children fighting cancer called Camp Fantastic. Like Camp Face, which gives kids who have spent as much time in the hospital as on a playground, Camp Fantastic gives children who are enduring not only the disease, but the treatment a much need vacation. It is heartwarming to note that most of the camp staff at Camp Fantastic are siblings and friends.

LINEUP
Saturday, May 22nd
Mummers Parade
South Philly String Band
The Patty Reese Band
Moreland and Arbuckle
Cedric Burnside and Lightnin’ Malcolm
Tinsley Ellis
The Yardbirds
Shemekia Copeland
Buddy Guy

Sunday, May 23rd
Mummers Parade
Polish American String Band
Blues Legend Bobby Parker
Big Bill Morganfield
Anders Osborne
Bonerama
Joe Louis Walker
Jimmie Vaughan
Chuck Berry

When: Saturday, 22 May and Sunday 23, May 2010

Where: Sandy Point State Park, Annapolis, Maryland

Times: Gates open at 10:30am. Parade on Saturday starts at approximately 10:00am. Music from 11:00am – 8:00pm Saturday and Sunday

Refunds: There are none, it’s all for charity. Rain or shine.

What’s there: 1 concert stage with Jumbtron, large crafter village, a wide variety of food and drink, Beer and Wine, beach, playgrounds, lawn seating (General Admission only).

What to bring: Low back lawn or beach chair or blankets, sunblock, sunglasses.

What not to bring: Food, drinks, bottles/glass, alcoholic beverages, drugs, pets, professional audio or video recording equipment, coolers.

Questions or VIP Information
For a quick response, e-mail us at info@bayblues.org or you may call 410-257-7413 and leave a message

EVENT DETAILS

EVENT DATE: March 7, 2010

START TIME: 2:00 pm

ADDRESS: 1258 Bay Dale Drive, Arnold, MD 21012

VOLUNTEER EVENT ORGANIZER: Tom Suit – 410-365-5551 – laxscout@comcast.net

EVENT SCHEDULE:

At this point I ask, what is six inches considering what we have had?  I’ll tell you why six inches is more dangerous than a full out foot or more.  Drivers on the roads will have a feeling of invincibility with only a few inches falling which will mean more cars and trucks on the roads.    In the first major storm of this winter I drove to Annapolis with over a foot on route 50 and I was all by myself.  I had all three lanes and both shoulders around me to make mistakes.  I would rather have that situation then bumper to bumper traffic surrounded on all sides with “novice at best” drivers.

Special shout out to all the local residents with plows and snow blowers willing to lend neighbors and neighborhoods a hand.

As previously rumored it looks like the owner of Bamboo Bernie’s, and Cancun Cantina IS NOT part of the new ownership.

Also reported are additional changes to the Shopping Center.  The Broadneck Grill will be expanding to the long empty space that used to be Dominos Pizza.  The Broadneck Grill has built quite a following locally and seems to always be well reviewed.  Now that there may be some new competition in the same shopping strip what is to be expected.

Many things are being said about this situation, but most seem to be negative.  “I just heard some very disheartening news” was the opening sentence of an online group called Cape Kids.  Personally I am more than excited that finally something will be done to UPGRADE the community and entertainment around here.  A completely redone bar and or restaurant from an owner of many successful entertainment venues.  I am sure we will be more than pleased with the outcome.

Erica Dunmyer wrote: “Hey Cape Kids!, I just heard some very disheartening news…Bella’s will be closing at the end of the month! For those of you who still live in the area, you should go in and show your support and have one more drink at the bar for old time’s sake…or buy a bottle of the Cape’s finest liquor store’s best bottle of booze. We all have some found memories of this true Cape St. Claire institution…let’s show them how much they meant to us over the years!!!!”

Barbara Riordan Morgan: So the word is out…. Bella’s is nearing it’s end. That date has not been set yet. But they are having a going away party tomorrow night, Jan 30th. There will be a band, Jello Shooters…. and fun. Come out to say goodbye to a Cape St. Claire landmark. Just look for the bright blue awning….it won’t be there for long.

An excerpt on the Facebook Fan page of Bella’s states: Family owned and operated since the late 1960’s. Neighborhood bar and grill. Come to see bands or listen to the DJ. Pool tables, dart board, good music, food and friends.
To see some pictures of patrons of the soon to be old Bella’s here is their website.  www.bellasseafood.com

Here are some highlights from an article posted in The Capital this week.

Polar Bear Plunge kicks off with ‘Frigid Friday’

School teams to take first dip of 2010, followed by the main event on Saturday

By E.B. FURGURSON III, Staff Writer
Published 01/28/10

Brrrrrr. Mother Nature might define the term “polar” for thousands of Marylanders when they dive into frigid bay waters Saturday for the 14th annual Maryland State Police Polar Bear Plunge benefiting Special Olympics.

There’s so much enthusiasm, in fact, that it can’t be contained in just one day. Hence this year’s addition of Frigid Friday. The special plunge at noon tomorrow is limited to school teams signed up under a special Cool Schools program. In addition to raising money for Special Olympics, students can earn service learning hours for the plunge. As many as 3,000 students could participate.

“Cold bodies, warm hearts,” said Donna Taylor, who has taken the plunge every year since the event’s inception. “We poke fun and make jokes about being crazy, but this is really about the athletes. Once you have volunteered at the (Special Olympic) games and met those athletes, it has really become a labor of love. It is an incredible effort for people who really appreciate it.”

Over the past 13 years the event has grossed more than $13 million to support some 10,000 Special Olympic athletes in Maryland. The total pledged for this year’s event, also billed as Plungapalooza 2010, was $2,126,709.74.

The event works like this: Potential plungers must raise, or donate, at least $50 each. Many boost their contributions by forming teams and getting pledges from friends, family members and co-workers.

While most participants take the plunge once, a special breed called

Super Plungers dip into the bay’s waters once an hour, every hour, for 24 hours. Super Plungers raise $10,000 each.

This is Taylor’s third year as a Super Plunger. “It takes a special kind of crazy to be a Super Plunger,” she said with a chuckle.

She and fellow Super Plunger Pat Voelkel lead a team from Graul’s, the local grocer that has been a corporate sponsor of the event for several years.

The Graul’s team set a goal of $30,000 this year.

“We said go big or go home. I don’t know if we will make it, but we have huge support from our customers and vendors,” said Taylor, who has worked at the Cape St. Claire store for 39 years.

“Heck, we have people donating … they want to pay you just so they don’t have to do it,” she said.

Overall, the dozens of Super Plungers registered for this year aimed to raise $500,000, and will likely make the mark. As of Wednesday, their pledges totaled $462,000.

Over at Cantler’s Riverside Inn, the plunge team is anything but crabby.

“Some of the girls did it last year. They had so much fun we were inspired to kick it up a notch and do a team this year,” said Molly Butterfield, who is putting the final touches on her Team Cantler’s mascot costume. It’s a polar bear, of course. “There is a lot of team spirit here, and we will be well represented.”

Team captain Stephanie Fennell was one of those who plunged last year. “It is for such a good cause. We are trying to raise $2,000 this year.”

To add to the roughly $1,000 already pledged, Cantler’s is holding a Plunge Party tomorrow night.

“We’ll have some hors d’oeuvres, an auction and a raffle. And a good time,” Butterfield said.

The Plungapalooza will feature a host of happenings for plungers and spectators. The Rams Head Ice Lodge, for example, will showcase bands and beer in a heated ski lodge-like tent.

The huge festival tent will have a boardwalk theme with food vendors, sand castle building and more live music, and 98 Rock radio will broadcast remotely from the plunge all day long.

There is even a plunge pageant that will crown Miss Polar Bear and Little Miss Polar Bear, along with Miss Hypothermic Hon – perhaps the plunger who turns the most beautiful shade of blue.

Local celebrities and officials show up for the thrill of the chill, too. Gov. Martin O’Malley is expected to plunge. So are Baltimore Ravens players like quarterback Joe Flacco and offensive lineman Adam Terry. Rep. Frank Kratovil is expected as well.

They all join Old Man Winter, whose deep cold and flying flakes aren’t enough to keep people away from a good time for a good cause.

“We are die-hard and will be there regardless,” Butterfield said

Police nab 18 in drug crackdown
Sweep triggered by complaints in SP, Broadneck, Pasadena
By HEATHER RAWLYK, Staff Writer
Published 01/21/10

Police say they often receive complaints about suspected drug activity in communities throughout Anne Arundel County.

Over four days officers from the Eastern District station’s Police and Community Together Unit, or PACT, arrested and charged 13 adults and three juveniles with drug offenses in the communities the district patrols, including Severna Park, the Broadneck Peninsula, Pasadena and Glen Burnie, said Justin Mulcahy, a county police spokesman.

The arrests took place during a targeted enforcement of drug violations in those communities. A man was also picked up on an outstanding warrant.

Two vehicles and $711 in cash were seized by police, along with 32.9 grams of marijuana, 8.07 grams of crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia.

Lt. Herbert Hasenpusch, executive officer of Eastern District, said police often get “nonspecific complaints” about suspected drug activity in his district.

“So we decided we’d utilize the PACT Unit and have those officers spend their time focusing on drug violations,” Hasenpusch said. “We put them in plain clothes (and) in plain cars and gave them the freedom to investigate the areas that we get complaints about.”

Between Jan. 12 and Friday the PACT Unit officers were directed to use information they had developed during past patrols and new information gathered from community contacts to identify suspected drug activity.

“It wasn’t one of those deals where we’ve been working on a case for two months and then wrapping it up with arrests,” Hasenpusch said. “It was officers going out, looking at some of their notes of past complaints they’d received in certain areas” and developing their own reason to stop or question a suspect.

“And they did a great job,” he said.

The roundup included:

On Jan. 12, police arrested three people on Hills Road in

Severna Park.

Charles F. Whims Jr., 54, of 37 Hills Road, was charged with possession of crack cocaine, possession with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia, Mulcahy said. He was released from the Jennifer Road Detention Center in Parole on Saturday on $50,000 bond, according to electronic court records.

Wardell Jerome Johnson, 55, of 102 Manns Road in Severna Park, was arrested and charged with possession of a deadly weapon – a knife. He was released from Jennifer Road on Saturday on $10,000 bond.

And Michael David Gutin, 51, of 7090 Troy Hill Road in Elkridge, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and obstructing and hindering a police investigation, Mulcahy said. He was released Jan. 13 on $10,000 bond.

On Jan. 13, three people were arrested on Edwin Raynor Boulevard at Route 100 in Pasadena.

A female juvenile was charged with possession of marijuana, Mulcahy said.

Michael W. Shuey, 21, of 183 Dunlap Road in Pasadena, was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was released on recognizance the following day.

And Cameron P. Friend, 19, of 133 Dunlap Road in Pasadena, was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was released from Jennifer Road the following day on $5,000 bond, court records show.

Also on Jan. 13, a male juvenile was arrested on Fort Smallwood Road at Johnson Road in Pasadena and charged with possession of marijuana.

On Jan. 14, two people were arrested on Fourth Street at Ridge Road in Pasadena.

A male juvenile and Ryan R. Reihl, 20, of 7727 Locust Grove Road in Glen Burnie, were each charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Reihl was released from Jennifer Road on his own recognizance the next day.

Also on Jan. 14, a man was arrested on Broadneck Road at Bay Dale Drive on the Broadneck Peninsula.

Lawrence Eric Tuel, 42, of 1021 Magothy Park Lane in Cape St. Claire, was charged with possession of marijuana, possession of crack cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia and failure to obey a reasonable and lawful order of a police officer, Mulcahy said. He was released on his own recognizance, court records show.

Also on Jan. 14, three more men were arrested on Bay Dale Drive at Route 50 near the Broadneck Peninsula.

Christopher T. Veilleux, 22, of 505 Pride of Baltimore Drive in Arnold, was charged with possession of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia. He was released from Jennifer Road the next day on $25,400 bond, court records show.

Daniel Frank Joseph, 19, of 1411 Colonial Manor Court on the Broadneck Peninsula, was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia, and was released on recognizance.

And Marcus G. Ledger, 20, of 771 MacSherry Drive in Arnold, was charged with possession of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

On Friday, two men were arrested on Landmark Drive at Quarterfield Road in Glen Burnie, Mulcahy said.

Matthew Adam Darpino, 19, of 440 West Court in Glen Burnie, was charged with possession of marijuana and released on his own recognizance. Larry W. Crystal, 56, of 1473 Gesna Drive in Hanover, was charged with possession of marijuana and paraphernalia.

Also on Friday, three men were arrested at 7930 Crain Highway in Glen Burnie.

Bryan M. Bavaria, 20, of 113 Ridgely Road in Glen Burnie, was charged with possession of marijuana and released on recognizance.

Alfred N. Sadaka III, 19, of 485 Glen Mar Circle in Glen Burnie, was charged with possession of marijuana and also released on recognizance.

And Julian McCrimon, 19, of 605 Old Stage Road in Glen Burnie, was arrested on an outstanding warrant.