Articles by All

Better with Age

Senior ShowStoppers dance circles around stereotypes

Sultry women draped in gossamer, adorned with trinkets and coins, shimmy their hips on the main stage. All the women gyrating are over 70; some are in their early 80s. These members of Joanne DeWilde’s belly dancing troupe are just a fraction of the elite entertainment group called The Senior ShowStoppers. Phyllis Laser and husband Larry dance the Tennessee Waltz. The ShowStoppers tour Anne Arundel County with an eclectic performance featuring musicians, singers,...

Article - People; by Vicki Marsh; 9/16/10

A Pirate’s Protest

These beautiful days can set you free

I have spent my life much like the proverbial pirate looking at 40, wondering why I never quite fit into today’s society, when the truth of the matter has always been that I am far healthier and happier because I never bothered to change. Too often I find that there is a sad disconnect between people’s daily lives and the world in which they live. This is not a matter of religion or spirituality or a higher power or anything remotely hard to believe in or have faith in. This is not...

Article - Bay Reflections; by Leo Newberg; 9/16/10

Fire Weather

September’s low humidity feels good, but it can spark fires

Was the Sunday shower of .66 inches of rain enough to extinguish the “critical fire weather conditions” blanketing over half of Maryland? The rain “wasn’t enough to alleviate the drought conditions,” according to Monte Mitchell, the State Fire Supervisor with the Maryland Fire Service. “Until we start getting in a regular pattern of rainfall,” drought — and with it the danger of wildfires — is here to stay. Forty percent of Maryland...

Article - News; by Aries Matheos; 9/16/10

Help Calvert Honor Eating Local, from Farm to Table

You have until Sept. 20 to nominate three for awards

Calvert County is taking local to a higher level with its new annual Sustainable Agricultural Awards Program. Emphasizing the once-rural-county’s continuing pride in its agricultural heritage — and to preserve that heritage — the Calvert County Board Commissioners seeks nominations for three new awards. Two will recognize businesses that make it their priority to support local producers; one will recognize a local farmer who makes good on the promise of sustainable farming...

Article - News; by Margaret Tearman; 9/16/10

Vote Early, Vote Often

For Pride of Baltimore II, every vote counts

The Pride of Baltimore company’s Pride II historic tall ship is sailing into the world of grants. The clipper ship is attempting to beat out 1,000 other candidates for a $50,000 grant from Pepsi. Pride II wants the money for boating-safety courses to teach under-served students in American port cities. The grant will fund supplies and travel. To pay for all that good work, Pride II needs your vote. Vote once a day every day thru September 30 for the boat safety program to help the ship...

Article - News; by Diana Beechener; 9/16/10

Elephants Join the Sexual Revolution

The Humane Society International successfully tests elephant contraception

In African game reserves, elephants were eating themselves out of house and home. So the Humane Society International found a way to control the growing elephant population in South African reserves without resorting to cruel practices: elephant contraception. “In a lot of places in Africa, elephants are confined by fences or barriers,” explains Humane Society International’s director of wildlife Theresa Telecky. “If the population isn’t controlled in some way, the...

Article - Creature Feature; by Diana Beechener; 9/16/10

Rascal Thrilled

Dear Bay Weekly: Just wanted to let you know I was quite shocked and thrilled when I walked into Safeway to get my copy of Bay Weekly [No. 34: Aug. 26] and saw my cat Rascal on the front cover. My kids were thrilled, too! Thanks so much! –Charlotte Sanders, Chesapeake Beach

Article - Correspondence; by Charlotte Sanders; 9/16/10

Purring over Friends of Felines

Dear Bay Weekly: We are thrilled with the story on Friends of Felines [Scratching Out a Home in the Woods]. We can’t thank you enough. We have had calls from people wanting to know who does trap, neuter, release and maintain in Anne Arundel and Prince George’s counties. Who knows? Maybe we’ve really got some momentum going. Thanks again. –Carol Hall for Friends of Felines

Article - Correspondence; by Carol Hall; 9/16/10

Pet Tales Keeps Tails and Tongues Wagging

Dear Bay Weekly: We loved the pets issue of Bay Weekly [Aug. 26]. Having six cats and a German shepherd, we had to take turns reading the stories. The Bay Gardener’s Maine coon cat sounds like a real character … sort of like pets and humans resembling one another. Three of my six are also Maine coons. You’ll see two of them in the enclosed photos of our cats. –Marilyn Harmon, Shady Side

Article - Correspondence; by Marilyn Harmon; 9/16/10

How to Vote

Dear Bay Weekly: Congratulations on the Voting Edition [Primary Primer, Sept. 9]. Excellent. My wife and I thought your comments were right on, and we were very impressed. –Mick Blackistone, Fairhaven

Article - Correspondence; by Mick Blackistone; 9/16/10