PAX River Online

Ruddy Update...

2009-06-20T13:21:00.000-07:00

So, with good intentions, we headed towards the Celebrate 375 Maryland events at St. Mary's college - some torrential downpours diverted us over to the brand-new Ruddy Duck, in search of local, craft-brewed heavily-hopped liquid barley sustenance.

Tall ships at St. Mary's college, right before the rain

The phrase that comes to mind is "great potential".

Sitting in the Ruddy Duck's cavernous space, all six of us well-cooled by ceiling fans and with a decor somewhat conflicted between Western Canada and Mid-Atlantic (surprisingly not a lot of traditional Chesapeake Bay hangings), the brewmaster's board said it all:

That's right, nothing published, with only 2 actual onsite brews to share - a fairly bland though refreshing Pale Ale, and a "Belgian Wit" that looked and tasted suspiciously like a well-limed Mohito. Luckily, a number of "guest beers" were available, most notably the spectacular Clipper City triple-hopped Loose Cannon...stealing the show.

Very nice and friendly staff, though obviously still learning the ins and outs of table-clearing, customer attentiveness, and keeping down the table-spraying around eaters.

Our Mucho Meat Pizza, Mussels and Rudy's Mega Burger were more than tasty, the kids' menu was certainly a step up from IHOP (but no crayons?), but the Caesar salad left a bit unsaid (mainly in terms of volume)...plus we had to ask for the wing sauce, for the wings.

All-in-all, a very promising brewpub and grill with high potential, should the kinks of newness get worked out - hopefully first on the brew-making side.

The Ruddy Duck is located in Solomon's Island right off of Rt. 4, co-located with Cherry Cove's Solomons Island Hotel The Hilton Garden Inn.

Ruddy Duck Brewery & Grill Opens - Solomons Island, MD

2009-06-09T14:29:00.000-07:00

The area's first brewpub/restaurant opened its doors yesterday in Solomon's Island, evidently over 300 dinners served... at the Ruddy Duck Brewery & Grill...featuring:

- Breezy Point American Wheat
- Flag Harbor Pale Ale
- Hog Island Vanilla Stout
- Oyster Cove Barley Wine
- Sandbar India Pale Ale
- Ruddy Duck Solomons Lager
- Saint Leanard's Cream Ale
- Stonepile Koelsch

See you there! (And stay overnight next door at the Solomons Island Hilton Garden Inn!)

Celebrate Maryland 375 Events - June 2009

2009-06-03T14:50:00.000-07:00

(Press release, St. Mary's Division of Tourism)

St. Mary’s County’s sites and attractions produce a full line-up of events that “Celebrate 375 MD” including a Birthday Celebration Weekend.

Over forty of the county’s 2009 annual events include special “Celebrate 375” components from Sotterely’s Garden Fair in April to the National Oyster Festival in October. The five-event Birthday Weekend takes place in June.

Maryland’s 375th Birthday Celebration Weekend Friday, June 19 – Sunday, June 21, 2009 features five events.

River Concert World Premier. Friday, June 19, 7 p.m., St. Mary's College of Maryland, St. Mary's City, off Route 5.

The River Concert Series Season Opener featuring the Chesapeake Orchestra, Jeffrey Silberschlag music director, Celebrates the 375th with the world premier of a symphonic work “In Terra Maryland” by Maryland composer Nathan Lincoln-DeCusatis with spoken texts culled from early writings on Maryland’s founding prepared by Jennifer Cognard-Black, Associate Professor of English, St. Mary’s College of Maryland. Maestro Silberschlag says: “This work attempts to tell about the arrival of the English colonists and their thrill of seeing Maryland for the first time.”
The concert also includes Handel’s “Trumpet Spectacular” and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9- "The New World." Free.
240-895-4107 www.riverconcertseries.com

Maryland’s Birthday Celebration. Saturday, June 20, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Historic St. Mary's City, St. Mary's City, off Route 5.

All day and evening celebration at the site of Maryland’s first colony and capital features tall ships along the St. Mary’s waterfront including tall ship Kalmar Nickel Delaware’s seagoing goodwill ambassador. The 200-tunnepinnace is modeled after the ship that sailed from Sweden to the New World in 1638. There will also be 17th-century style food, make-and-take crafts, sutlers (vendors), music, whimsey, and other entertainment. The day will close with a special River Concert, to include a reprise of “In Terra Maryland” and fireworks. Free. 800-762-1634, www.stmaryscity.org.

Juneteenth Celebration. Saturday, June 20, Noon, Freedom Park in Lexington Park, Route 235 and Tulagi Place.

Entertainment for all ages celebrating cultural diversity and freedom. Early evening jazz concert. Free. HC. 301-862-4868, www.ucaconline.org

Pinks All Out. Saturday, June 20, Maryland International Raceway, Budds Creek, Maryland.

Speed TV will be filming an episode of PINKS All Out. Hundreds of the best drag racers in the country will bring their game to MIR in search of glory and their share of $18,000 in cold, hard cash in PINKS All Out. Host Rich Christensen hosts the all day shootout that pits egos and cars against one another on the quarter mile. Ticketed event 301-884-9833, www.mirdrag.com

Celebrate Family, Fun and Fitness! Sunday, June 21, College of Southern Maryland, Leonardtown Campus, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. 22950 Hollywood Road, Leonardtown, Maryland.

CSM celebrates 375 years with Wellness, Fitness & Recreation. Come dressed to play on Father's Day as you enjoy fitness demos, wellness tips, health screenings, fun
races and a 3.75-mile walk to include historic Leonardtown. Free. 301-934-7703 or 240-725-5312.

Visit Celebrate 375 MD Program and Website Sponsors including Southern MD hotels Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Inn, and Marriott Fairfield Inn, by Cherry Cove Hospitality.

St. Mary's River Concert Series - June 19th - July 31st

2009-06-03T14:32:00.000-07:00

Don't miss the upcoming St. Mary's College River Concert Series, June 19th - July 31st; absolute great entertainment in a magnificent, though very family-oriented and friendly setting on the banks of the St. Mary's river. Generously supported by local and regional businesses including Booz|Allen|Hamilton, SAIC, Cherry Cove Hospitality, and O'Brien Realty, among others.

Leadership Southern Maryland Class - Inaugural Awards at Southern MD Hotel Hilton Garden Inn

2009-06-03T13:58:00.000-07:00

Per this SOMD News story, members of the inaugural Leadership Southern Maryland class graduated this May at the Southern MD hotel Hilton Garden Inn in Solomons Island, MD.

Leadership Southern Maryland is a nine-month tuition-based program specially designed to develop leaders from the Southern Maryland area for regional collaboration.

"LSM is an outstanding program for individuals to learn about the region, those issues that most impact our friends, co-workers, and families, and an outstanding opportunity for you to learn about those issues to make a difference," said Wilson H. Parran, president of the Calvert County Board of County Commissioners, LSM 2009 and LMD 1999 graduate, in the LSM press release.

The LSM program is dedicated to building a cadre of informed regional leaders, prepared to address common issues and bring long-term benefit to their neighbors and communities and incorporates a cross-section of the region to include diversity of geographic location, profession, ethnicity and gender.

Congratulations to many of our regional Southern Maryland leaders (find the whole list at the SOMD News post), including well-known business leaders such as Brian Norris, Chief Operating Officer, Cherry Cove Development, and Lisa Franzen, director of foundation and corporate relations, St. Mary's College of Maryland.

Home of St. Mary's County's 2nd Best Bands

2009-05-26T05:14:00.000-07:00

Saw this on Rt. 5 the other day, near Charlotte Hall - "Home of the 2nd Best Bands in St. Mary's County"...all of them? Must be a pretty raging music scene.

Leonardtown Events Blog

2009-05-17T17:24:00.000-07:00

Just stumbled across this great blog with news and events from Leonardtown, Maryland (Southern MD) - it's time to swing by for First Friday's or other "Celebrate 375" (Maryland's 375th Birthday) events this Summer!

Celebrate 375 Maryland News and Tourism Lodging/Hotels!

2009-05-12T17:40:00.000-07:00

(Reposted from the St. Mary's County Tourism Newsletter)

"West Side Story" - COSMIC Symphony

Don't miss Maryland's Artists of Tomorrow as they display their interpretations of Leonard Bernstein's timeless classic, "West Side Story" on Saturday, May 16 at 7 PM at Great Mills High School. Concert goers can browse the visual arts gallery style exhibit "Do You See What I HEAR?" that displays K-12 student artists' interpretations of "West Side Story," then sit back and enjoy the music of this modern day story of Romeo and Juliet told by COSMIC Symphony!

For more information, please contact COSMIC Symphony at 301-373-5277 or visit www.cosmicmusic.org.

Air Expo '09 - Naval Air Station Patuxent River

On May 23 and 24, the Air Expo will be held at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River! You won't want to miss the thrilling, high-precision flying by the U.S. Navy's Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels. There will also be other aerial acts, demonstrations, entertainment and food.

For more information, please contact Naval Air Station Patuxent River at 301-757-EXPO or visit www.paxairexpo.org.

Celebrate Maryland 375 St. Mary's County MD Hotels, Lodging, Hotel Rooms

Find fantastic prices, great rooms and special events at Southern MD Hotels by Cherry Cove Hospitality - book your room early for MD 375 events and for other Summer vacation plans in St. Mary's county.

Southern MD Veterans Job Fair Lusby MD April 15 2009

2009-04-06T04:54:00.000-07:00

Get your resume ready and swing by the VETERANS JOB FAIR to be held Wednesday April 15, 2009, 10AM - 2PM, in the PAX River area of Lusby, MD (Calvert County).

Open to ALL Job Seekers!

Location:

Arick L. Lore American Legion Post # 274
11820 H.G. Trueman Road, Lusby, MD 20657

Sponsored by:

American Legion Post #274 Lusby, Maryland
Maryland’s Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation’s
Veterans Employment & Training Services of Southern Maryland Workforce Services

For more information, call 301-645-8712 x309
or email edowney@dllr.state.md.us

NO CHARGE FOR EMPLOYERS TO PARTICIPATE!

Wounded Warrior Project and paws4people = paws4vets in West Virginia

2009-04-03T03:41:00.000-07:00

The Wounded Warrior Project® [www.woundedwarriorproject.org ] and the paws4people^TM foundation [www.paws4people.org], in Strategic Partnership, announce the creation and implementation of:

The paws4vets^TM Program, a Morgantown, WV based, unique and dynamic, K-9 centered, recovery/intervention program for Veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) and/or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). This program primarily uses dogs rescued from shelters prior to their being euthanized.

The AfghanDogZ^TM Program, a Morgantown, WV based, program designed to bring dogs from the war zone in Afghanistan to the United States. These dogs were adopted by American soldiers serving in Afghanistan. Some soldiers are able to bring the dogs they adopted home (to the U.S.) while others are not. These remaining dogs then become available to the AfghanDogZ Program.

What does this have to do with Southern Maryland? - paws4people and its assistance dog programs and online assistance to other nonprofits is rapidly expanding throughout the Washington DC area and surrounding regions.

Also, the nonprofit paws4people Foundation is largely supported by donations and purchase of their online charity raffle tickets - support a Veteran, support a service dog, and possibly win great cash prizes...win-woof-win!

Read more here....

St. Mary's County Library April Happenings!

2009-04-01T14:33:00.000-07:00

From their newsletter:

Lots of fun and exciting programs are planned this month to celebrate National Library Month.

You have the opportunity to meet two authors: on April 6 popular childrens' author Ginjer Clarke and on April 15 humorous Jeff Yeager, The Ultimate Cheapskate as he was dubbed by Matt Lauer.

Sing and dance with us to the music of Cantare at our Heritage Festival on April 25 as we explore the rich Latin American cultures.

We can't forget that April is also National Poetry Month. Poets of all ages are invited to share or listen at a PoetryOpen Mic on April 22. Randy Bridgeman whose book was nominated for a Pulitzer award will be reading.

The libraries will be closed Fri, April 10, and Lexington Park will be closed Sun, April 12.

TEEN ZONE

Teen Movie Night Watch PG-13 rated Hancock. Snacks provided. Free. TAG-sponsored.
- Leonardtown, Thurs, April 30, 5:30-7:30 PM

Teen Gaming Fun Play Wii, Guitar Hero and board games with other teens. All teens welcome. Free snacks. TAG-sponsored. Registration requested but not required.
- Lexington Park, Thurs, April 30, 6:30-7:30 PM

TAG (Teen Advisory Group) Hang out with other teens, play Wii, plan library teen programs and discuss books. Free snacks. All teens welcome. TAGs meet monthly at each branch.
- Lexington Park, Tues, April 7, 4-5:30 PM - Charlotte Hall Mon, April 13, 5-6:30 PM

DC and Northern Virginia Business Coaching - Benefits For Everyone

2009-03-23T17:31:00.000-07:00

In the past, businesses (and the government) have looked for college graduates because of their raw talent, hunger, and energy. There’s no replacement for someone who can work for hours on end - on suspect diets of caffeine and Twinkies. There are also folks who have been around the workforce for a while, but who may have pigeon-holed themselves into a certain job type or role. Many of these folks could use some serious business coaching.

There may even be many among the experienced workforce set who have lost some of their communication and business skills, and may feel they are in a dead end job with nowhere to go. These can be office workers, public servants or military professionals, IT professionals and even corporate managers or executives. It can be depressing thinking that you are stuck in one field and at one salary. It’s even worse when the economy turns south (or IS south, as in Antarctica South, right now), because you continually take cuts in pay and that can petrify you into never actually acting on a job change or opportunity.

The is the right time, in this economy, to take stock of your personal capability to derive success, satisfaction and reward from your business role and efforts.

(Were you at last week's PAX River NAS job fair, at the Southern Maryland Conference Center by J.T. Daugherty?) Were you prepared?

The truth is, with a little bit of business coaching you can learn how to revive your career, make some gains financially, and ultimately become more satisfied in your job…and Maryland, DC and Northern Virginia business coaching is readily available from a number of trained and qualified coaches.

Read more about this very important facet in your professional business development.

NAVAIR PAX River Job Fair in Southern Md - JT Daugherty Conference Center

2009-03-15T05:14:00.000-07:00

From the Baynet...

"In this down economy at a time when hundreds of thousands of Americans are losing their jobs and benefits on a daily basis, it is refreshing to know that The Naval Air Systems Command is hiring and hiring big.

On Thursday, March 19 at the J. T. Daugherty Conference Center in Lexington Park across from Gate 1 NAS PAX, NAVAIR Special Recruitment Branch is holding a job fair seeking 400 or more qualified scientists, engineers and business specialists to fill much needed vacancies.

The job fair will open at 10 a.m. and run strong until 6 p.m. in hopes of filling vacancies across the spectrum of hi-tech jobs. Prospects attending the job fair are encouraged to, “Become part of an organization that will let you make a difference to the country and the world. Discover the possibilities that a Civilian Career with the Department of the Navy can offer you.”

NAVAIR is seeking civilian scientists, engineers and business professionals for challenging assignments at Patuxent River, MD. Many positions will allow those hired to apply their skills to the acquisition and support of Naval Aviation.

“Challenges are unlimited as you and your team work to deliver state-of-the-art systems to the men and women defending our nation,” states the Sailor and Marine.

The demand will be high for degreed candidates with Science, Engineering and Business experience.

NAVAIR is an Equal Opportunity Employer. For more information check out the NAVAIR flyer at http://www.navair.navy.mil/jobs/PaxJobFair-March1909.pdf "

A note from the JT Daugherty Southern Md Conference and Events Center and Cherry Cove Hospitality - come early, plan your time wisely, and carpool as possible - this event is already looking to be very well attended..

Overnight accommodations for the event are available at the co-located Lexington Park Hotel at the Hampton Inn, or at these other great Southern MD hotels.

Looking to refresh your technical resume? Try Federal technical resume review and repair at technicalresumes.net - quick turnaround and professional, federal technology expertise.

Southern Maryland Hotel Rooms - St. Mary's and Calvert Counties

2009-02-18T17:40:00.000-08:00

For those of you heading to Maryland or Southern Maryland for the Celebrate 375 Maryland festivities, or for any of the other great tourist destinations, events or Chesapeake Bay activities, here's a rundown on the very best Southern Maryland hotels and hotel rooms...

Hampton Inn, Waldorf
3750 Crain Highway
Waldorf, MD 20603
Phone: 301-632-9600
Fax: 301-632- 6209

Hilton Garden Inn, Solomons
13100 Dowell Road
Dowell, MD 20629
Phone: 301-866-2060

Hampton Inn, Lexington Park
22211 Three Notch Road
Lexington Park, MD 20653
Phone: 301-863-3200
Fax 301-863-7865

Fairfield Inn by Marriott, Lexington Park
22119 Three Notch Road
Lexington Park, MD 20653
Phone: 301-863-0203
Fax: 301-863-2113

Veterans Charity Raffles for Veteran Nonprofit Fundraising Efforts

2009-02-15T12:28:00.000-08:00

Following up on our last post concerning Paws4People - there's a very special charity raffle underway to specifically benefit the "Paws4Vets" foundation, US military veterans and associated nonprofits.

Retired USAF Colonel Mike Turner remarks "Join me in helping paws4vets(TM) match trained Service Dogs to soldiers returning home with PTSD, brain injuries, blindness, physical disabilities and burns. In over ten years as a fundraiser for non-profits, I’ve never seen so much value added at every point in an altruistic program. Our wounded vets are thrown a lifeline to find their way back to their loved ones. The dogs, often rescued from certain death, are restored to health, cared for and loved for the rest of their lives. The prison inmates training the dogs for our soldiers get self-esteem and post-prison job opportunities for the first time in their lives. And this revolutionary way for all of us to support our vets also gives you extraordinary odds to win hundreds of prizes up to $1M."

Simply visit the Paws4Vets veterans charity raffle to buy raffle tickets, and support these worthy causes.

If you represent a Veterans charity or nonprofit of some kind, and want to learn more about raising money through nonprofit charity raffle fundraisers, contact I-raffles.org nonprofit fundraising solutions.

Paws for Raffles - A New Kind of Nonprofit Fundraising

2009-02-14T14:03:00.000-08:00

Here's a great story of a Loudoun County nonprofit service dog organization, "Paws4People.org", who are taking advantage of many converging factors that appear to result in the "perfect storm" for online charitable fundraising - using Internet-enabled social media and internet marketing to help promote their online Charitable Raffles. These raffles provide great returns, for no direct investment, and help all charities who participate. Read more at Gateway to Loudoun....

Miles River, Easton MD January Sunrise

2009-01-31T04:24:00.000-08:00

Cold and windy morning - but clear - a January morning on the Miles River, Easton, MD.

Chesapeake Ice - St. Jerome's Creek, MD

2009-01-18T08:09:00.000-08:00

There's a decent coating of tidal ice down here in St. Jerome's creek - about 2 inches think, but a bit slushy and carrying no more than 20-30 lbs or so...

Southern Maryland Weddings|Bridal Show Sunday 1/19 - JT Daugherty Conf. Ctr.

2009-01-17T05:40:00.000-08:00

Southern Maryland Bridal Show, Sunday 1/19, 11:30 - 3PM - at the J.T. Daugherty Southern Maryland Conference Center, Lexington Park, MD (St. Mary's County). Right near the PAX River Naval Air Station Main Gate on Southbound Rt. 235.

Visit their website for additional Southern Maryland and St. Mary's County events, including an Inauguration Lunch, a Valentine's Day event and more...

St. Mary's County Economic Stimulus - from Local Businesses?

2009-01-11T05:19:00.000-08:00

In this business blog/article at the Loudoun Times, a local business challenges all other Loudoun County businesses to "step up" and promote, collectively, their own county - using their own websites and Internet assets. Simply by linking back to the county's core government economic development and tourism promotion websites, using words like "Loudoun County Business Environment", may help business, real estate and tourism investors find the County, and spend money.

This is a good idea for ANY county - including those here in Southern Maryland, i.e. Calvert, Charles and St. Mary's counties.

Southern Maryland Businesses - read the article, and take notice....link your sites or blogs back to the county's PR machine, at St. Mary's County Department of Economic Development.

Prime Time for Real Estate Investing - Southern Maryland and Northern Virginia

2009-01-04T09:11:00.000-08:00

It's now prime time for Southern Maryland Real Estate investing - for residents and businesses who've been sitting out the economic downturn, and are ready to put their sidelined cash to work.

While this article at Northern Virginia Real Estate Journal focuses on Northern Virginia real estate investing, it also speaks to the broader Chesapeake Bay watershed and Washington DC metro regional real estate environment.

Save the Chesapeake Bay with Alpacas in Southern Maryland?

2009-01-03T04:51:00.000-08:00

Couple of interesting, confluent articles in the Washington Post (WAPO) today.

First is the editorial entitled "Failure on the Chesapeake Bay", which very frankly segments the tasks required to clean up the Chesapeak Bay into four main areas - aggressively regulating farm runoff (of nitrogen-based pesticides and livestock waste), enforce maximums on daily loads of wastewater from municipalities and businesses allowed to be pumped into the Bay, limit the catch of oysters and crabs by Watermen, and mandating "green-building" techniques for new commercial and residential construction. While these task seem pretty straightforward and clear, there's a considerable lack of cross-the-board political will to create and enforce the absolute regulations (not negotiations) required.

The second article was about the Southern Maryland (Bushwood) "Moore or Less Farm", and Jim Moore's (owner) shift in farming operations away from production of traditional livestock (mostly raised for slaughter) to Alpacas...these llama-like animals are raised for their renewable wool, plus their much-reduced appetite for costly feed. The article further details how many farmers, seeking more profitable returns in the face of declining prices and increasing costs, are turning to greenhouse-grown vegetables, grain, specialty animals like the Alpacas, agri-tourism and jobs off the farm.

These two imperatives, to both "Save the Bay" and "Save the Farms" are inexorably intertwined, it's clear. Dramatic measures to cut back on pollution from farming may actually be already underway and made more tolerable, due in large part to the economic pressures already forcing farmers to convert to activities with less "nitrogen-footprint". Farms with smaller, fewer large animals, less insect and drought-intolerant crops, and more income fed by agro-tourism rather than fertilizer: these are farms better positioned to help save the Bay, for the benefit of everyone including the "aqua-farmers" (i.e. Watermen), who themselves may end up participating in more imaginative forms of aqua-culture as the EPA regulates and implements new methods of growing and sustaining underwater bay life.

It seems everyone can help, as well - we can help, for example, promote the agro-tourism part of the equation, by highlighting the great farms and agriculture-oriented tourism destinations in St. Mary's county and other Southern Maryland areas.

Check out the Southern Maryland Agriculture Development Commission site out to find details on these farms and things to to or visit. Also the Southern Maryland Trails site ("Earth, Art, Imagination"), with its "guide to all things handmade, home-grown, locally harvested and authentically Southern Maryland". On this site you'll find farms like "Moore or Less", featured in various ways including on the "Barnwood and Beach Glass" trail loop.

Happy 375th Birthday Year, Maryland!

2009-01-02T07:32:00.001-08:00

It was in 1634 when more than a hundred English settlers landed on a safe harbor in the Potomac River they named "St. Clement's Island." Every March 25 we celebrate Maryland Day at Colton's Point that looks out at the historical first landing site.

2009 should prove to be a very exciting year for Northern and Southern Maryland businesses, residents, organizations, tourists and visitors, as we observe the official "Celebrate 375 Maryland" events and pageantry!

Random Blog - Mennonite Photos in Southern Maryland

2008-12-30T17:40:00.000-08:00

Just ran across this nice blog entry about a visit through Old Order Mennonite country in Southern Maryland.

Pic from their blog:

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year!

2008-12-25T10:43:00.000-08:00

From Ridge, MD, and other points in Southern Maryland, and Northern Virginia - Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year! Thank goodness the days will start getting longer...