Hickory Hills takes action against trouble from outside

THIS ‘N' THAT

Friday, Nov. 27, 2009

The Hickory Hills neighborhood in Great Mills has learned that it's no more immune from crime problems than the rest of the world, but it's fighting back with help from the law.

The effort is off to a good start, Corey Dyson said this week, after it began with a meeting of about a half-dozen people, yielded a flier with neighborhood crime stats and led to a gathering earlier this month of about 25 participants, joined by St. Mary's sheriff's Cpl. Chad Hartzell.

Dyson, a hospital emergency room technician who also is an ordained minister with World Christianship, heads the new Neighborhood Watch group with his wife, Zenobia Dyson, and Donna Page, a community coordinator employed by Liberty Homebuilders. Seventeen people signed up at the Nov. 19 meeting, Corey Dyson said, to help be the "eyes and ears" to report suspicious activity to law enforcement.

"The overall goal is to cut the criminal-type element from hanging out in the neighborhood," he said. "We've had a lot of youth come into our community and take over the basketball court and playground. The children in the community are not allowed to play basketball on their own basketball court."

Sheriff's deputies reported last weekend that two men, one living on Chancellor's Run Road and the second from another neighborhood off the highway, were charged with taking part in the armed robbery of a pizza deliveryman last month on a lane at Hickory Hills. "A lot of people in the neighborhood were not aware," Dyson said, that "we had thefts and robberies here."

Dyson said he distributed 310 fliers at homes in Hickory Hills before this month's meeting with the sheriff's deputy, and that another meeting is being planned. Call 240-895-0311.

Town road work to yield to Santa

The State Highway Administration's Leonardtown Streetscape construction project is continuing on Fenwick Street, but the town's shops and other businesses are still open and the work will halt today, Friday, for the annual tree lighting festival.

Corinthian Contractors began work on the storm drain on Fenwick Street last week, and the street was closed off at its intersection with Courthouse Drive during nighttime hours earlier this week. Traffic was detoured onto Courthouse Drive to access the downtown area.

The entire road reopened Tuesday and will remain accessible until next Monday, Nov. 30, and the town has encouraged residents and visitors to come in for shopping and dining, and to attend today's annual Christmas on the Square and Leonardtown Volunteer Fire Department tree lighting.

The square itself will be closed to traffic for the event, but there will be designated parking areas and a free round-trip shuttle service from the nearby College of Southern Maryland campus.

The event kicking off at 5 p.m. will include a few surprises along with its traditional festivities of seasonal music and Christmas carols, a magic show, a puppet show, costumed characters, sleigh rides, train rides, fire truck rides, hay rides, horse-and-carriage rides, a petting zoo, pony rides, live nativity, face painting, make-and-take crafts for children, an ice sculpture demonstration and cookie decorating at the Gingerbread House. Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus will arrive at 7 p.m. for the lighting of the town Christmas tree.

Visit the Winegardner automobile dealership showroom for the Leonardtown Volunteer Rescue Squad's 12th Annual Christmas Festival, featuring decorated trees and wreaths, toy collections and crafts, and a slide show and photo display of days past in St. Mary's County. Visitors are invited to prepare a letter or card to be sent to a member of the Armed Forces.

Christmas on the Square is sponsored by the Leonardtown Volunteer Fire Department, the Leonardtown Business Association, the Commissioners of Leonardtown and community partners Community Bank of Tri-County, Quality Built Homes and the College of Southern Maryland. The rain date will be tomorrow, Saturday. For more information, call town hall at 301-475-9791.

Hospice to hold Festival of Trees

Hospice of St. Mary's Festival of Trees will be held starting at 9 a.m. tomorrow, Saturday, at the Wyle Conference Center at 22300 Exploration Drive in Lexington Park. Breakfast with Santa Claus will be served from 9 to 11 a.m., and vendor shops will be in operation from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with holiday shopping and children's activities. A Tree of Light ceremony and program will begin at 6 p.m.

Trees will be available for purchase, and all proceeds from the Festival of Trees will go to support and maintain the St. Mary's Hospice House, which opened in September. The admission charge is $5 for adults, $3 for senior citizens, $1 for children ages 4-12 and free for children 3 and younger. Call 301-994-3023.

Bohanan to hold town hall meetings

State Del. John Bohanan (D-St. Mary's) will hold town hall meetings to discuss the state budget and other issues in the upcoming 2010 legislative session at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 2, at the 2nd District firehouse in Valley Lee and on Wednesday, Dec. 9, at the Ridge firehouse. Bohanan reports that he specifically is looking for ideas on how to further reduce the state's general fund budget. He serves as the house chair of the Spending Affordability Committee that sets spending limits each year for the general fund. He also chairs the Subcommittee on Education and Economic Development, which allocates funding for kindergarten through high school and all higher education in Maryland.

For more information regarding the meetings, call the delegate's Lexington Park District Office at 301-866-4000 or send e-mail to john.bohanan.district@house.state.md.us

Bay District VFD plans breakfast with Santa

The Bay District Volunteer Fire Department's all-you-can-eat breakfast with Santa Claus will be held from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 6, at the Co. 3 firehouse at 46900 S. Shangri-La Drive in Lexington Park.The menu will include sausage gravy and biscuits, sausage links, bacon, pancakes, scrambled eggs, fried potatoes, French toast sticks, escalloped apples, assorted juices, coffee, teas and hot chocolate. The cost will be $8 for adults, $5 for children 5-12 years old and children younger than 5 can eat for free.

Mechanicsville VFD to serve shrimp, oysters

The Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Department will hold an all-you-can-eat shrimp and oyster feast from 3 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 6, at the Station 2 firehouse on Hills Club Road. The menu will include steamed shrimp, fried, steamed and raw oysters, cole slaw, potato salad, lemonade, tea, coffee, soda and beer. Tickets will be sold in advance and at the door. Call 301-884-8602 or 301-884-4709.

jwharton@somdnews.com