The Star-Democrat from Easton, Maryland • Page 1

THE STAR Easton, Maryland Wall Street took an expected break Thursday following a two-day blue chip buying spree, leaving prices narrowly mixed. May 3, 2002 SPORTS WAR Run for roses is Saturday ANN LANDERS 13A ASTROGRAPH 6B CALENDAR 12A CLASSIFIEDS 8-18B COMICS 5-6B EDITORIAL 8-9A FINANCIAL 7B LOTTERY 11A MARYLAND NEWS 5A NATION WORLD 2-4A OBITUARIES 13A REGIONAL 6-7. 10A WEATHER 15A Sunny and breezy with highs in the mid 60s. Clear tonight with lows in the upper 30s. Stay in touch with us CUSTOMERSERVICE: 410-770-4005 CLASSIFIED: 410-770-4000 NEWS ROOM: 410-770-4010 SPORTS: 410-770-4095 SDONLINE: http://www.stardem.com FEMA officials visit La Plata INSIDE MARYLAND INDEX WEATHER TICKER INFO DEMOCRAT HOPE HARRINGTON was school board president Served on board of education from 1993 to 2000 By JOHN GRIEP News Editor EASTON A former school board president has filed for election to the county council.

Hope R. Harrington filed Wednesday as a Democratic candidate for the Talbot County Council. She is the first and, as of presstime Thursday, only candidate to file for the council election. Harrington, who has been active in public and community service in Talbot County, served on the Talbot County Board of Education from 1993 to 2000, including four years as board president. She resigned from the school board to accompany her husband, Anthony S.

Harrington, to Brazil following his appointment as U.S. Ambassador there by President Bill Clinton. Harrington said her primary goals if elected to the council include economic progress, educational opportunity, planned growth and fiscal responsibility. She said there is a need for a three-part approach to econom- ic progress in a county as diverse as Talbot recruiting new businesses, protecting the family farms and managing water resources. Recruiting high-paying and non-polluting light industrial and high-tech businesses to Talbot County is a priority, Harrington said.

new businesses can be linked to continuing improvement in our schools, resulting in graduates who are better prepared for the workplace, college or technical she said. there will be good jobs for them when they return Harrington said her husband grew up on a farm in North Car- olina and she has a strong interest in family farms. county needs to collaborate with our farmers to help this fundamental component of our economy continue to be a profitable she said. She also said the county needs to acknowledge problems with local waterways and a concern about aquifer supplies of fresh water. of being at odds on these issues, we need to get in front of potential problems and work together toward acceptable Harrington said.

management water will preserve Harrington seeking seat on county council Photo by CHRIS POLK Members of P.E.A.C.E. (Peace, Education and Community Effort) hold their weekly silent vigil for peace on the sidewalk in front of the Talbot County Courthouse Thursday afternoon. The purpose is to make a visible presence and personal statement endorsing non-violent means for resolving the conflicts. Peace vigil in Talbot Elections coming up in three Dorchester towns By JAIME ROE-HERD Staff Writer CHURCH CREEK The Town of Church Creek elected two new commissioners Monday, and three other Dorchester towns will soon hold elections. Wendi Kirckhoff and Laura Farrington received 19 votes each Monday to serve as Church Creek commissioners.

Kirckhoff and Farrington will finish the remaining two years of the four year terms left vacant by Mark McWilliams and Dave Benhoff. McWilliams resigned from his position for health reasons, and Benhoff moved out of town. Kirckhoff and Farrington were sworn into office following the election by Circuit Rider Glen Steckman. They will join Mayor Robert Herbert and Commissioners Karen Tolley and Ronnie Reynolds. The Town of Eldorado will hold an election Saturday for all three council members two commissioners and a mayor.

Candidates running for seats on the council are incumbent Mayor Lauri Bratten, Helen McAllister, Robert Sturla and Robert Isaac. Each position is held for two year terms. Residents of Eldorado can cast their votes for three candidates from 10 a.m. until noon at the Old Eldorado School. The Towns of Secretary and Vienna will hold elections Mon- Church Creek elects commissioners Related stories on pages 5A and 11A Virginia crabbers bringing in many more crabs than last year NEWPORT NEWS, Va.

(AP) Seafood lovers could see cheaper blue crab prices this summer because of a glut in the market, industry leaders said. Last week, local blue crab processing houses reported much higher numbers of blue crabs being brought in com- pared with this time last year, said Shirley Estes, executive director of the Virginia Marine Products Board, the marketing arm of the state seafood industry. People be able to find Virginia crabmeat at a more competitive Estes said. should enjoy it while it Official numbers on crab catches will not be available until later this month, but anecdotal evidence points to a better harvest than last year at this time, said Robert deputy chief fish- eries management for the Virginia Marine Resources Commission. noted that a good start does- necessarily mean a good season.

Last year, the first four months of the crab season saw harvests below the seven-year average. The following months saw harvests above the average. The number of pregnant crabs being caught now is about twice as much as last year, said Johnny Graham, vice president of Graham Rollins Inc. processing house. But the demand for those crabs is still low because the summer season started, Graham said.

He turned away crabbers twice last week because he buy any more of their crabs and expect to put them to market. happened in the last 12 he said. Walter Forrest, president of W. Haywood Forrest Seafood, had a similar experience. For the first time in a long time, he had to tell crabbers to take a day or two off.

Processing houses could end up hav- ing to decrease prices in order to put the crab meat into market. While been asking for $9 per pound, Graham said the glut may force him to cut prices to 1994 levels of $5.40 per pound. more in line with foreign crabmeat, which is selling for $3.85 per pound. The East and Gulf coasts have lost most of their holdings in the blue crab market because of an influx of cheaper foreign meat, officials said. Labor is Crab glut could mean cheaper summer feasts St.

Michaels student allegedly was planning By BRIAN HAAS Staff Writer ST. MICHAELS A 15-year- old St. Michaels High School student is being held at the Carter Youth Center after allegedly bringing a BB gun to school to scare a fellow student Tuesday morning. St. Michaels police reported they received a call from St.

Michaels High School of a student with a gun on a school bus and in the school. Police said the 15-year-old boy showed off the gun on the school bus and gave it to a 14-year-old boy to hide from officials. Police said they were able to confiscate the BB gun, which looked exactly like a 9mm chrome handgun. Police also confiscated an empty BB ammo clip and a ski mask from the student, police said. St.

Michaels Police Chief Edward Henry said police found no ammunition for the gun. He said witnesses told police the teen brought the gun to school as a understand that he was gonna put the ski mask on so that whoever he was mad at recognize Henry said. has a specific gentleman that he was mad Henry said the BB gun itself was also particularly disturbing. He said it perfectly resembled a chrome 9mm handgun. a real Henry said.

He said if the teen had pulled the gun out near a police officer, could have been a really, really bad Dr. J. Sam Meek, superintendent of Talbot County Schools, said the schools are still looking into the matter. investigating it as if it were a real Meek said. treating it very Though he said he would not go into details of the investigation, he said the policy is to Youth arrested after taking BB gun to school Photo by CHRIS POLK St.

Michaels Police Chief Ed Henry compares his handgun, top, to the look-alike, bottom, confiscated from a St. Michaels youth. Towns, counties waiting for La Plata to assess its needs By KONRAD SUROWIEC Staff Writer Towns and counties on the Mid-Shore are waiting to see if their help is needed to aid southern Maryland communities ravaged by killer tornado. Cindy Towers, coordinator for emergency management in Caroline County, said Caroline is in contact daily with emergency management officials in Charles County. She said Wednesday Charles County had enough outside help from other jurisdictions, including Ocean City and Cecil County.

But Caroline is ready to assist if needed, said Towers. Queen County Commissioner George said Tuesday the county has offered to provide public works crews to help in Charles County. Gov. Parris Glendening asked President George Bush to declare Dorchester, Calvert and Charles counties disaster areas, making them eligible for federal relief funds. The tornado killed two men in La Plata, Charles County and one woman in Prince Frederick, Calvert County.

John Healy, a spokesman for the Maryland Emergency Management Agency, said Donald Hammonds was found dead in his car near U.S Route 301 and State Route 6 in La Plata. William Erickson of La Plata and Margaret Alvey of Prince Frederick were killed when their homes collapsed. Healy said search and rescue teams looked through rubble until early Monday afternoon when all people in the areas hit had been accounted for. The Associated Press reported about 100 people were injured and hundreds of buildings were destroyed or damaged. La main street was the area most severely damaged.

Town employees in Centreville, St. Michaels, Easton and Oxford said they got a message from the Maryland Municipal League to hold off on any offers of assistance until the Town of La Plata determines what it needs. Oxford Town Clerk Lil- Shore ready to help Please see CRABS, 11A Please see GUN, 11A Please see ELECTIONS, 11A Please see COUNCIL, 11A Please see HELP, 11A A water tower destroyed by the tornado which hit La Plata on Sunday lays on its side Wednesday. Hundreds of homes and businesses were either damaged or destroyed by the tornado that ripped through the area and two other counties Sunday night, killing three people and injuring around 100. FEMA officials toured the area yesterday and pledged to help the town rebuild.

Essence of Dubai is one of the foreign- based horses that will be among the factors Saturday at the 128th Kentucky Derby. Congress supportive of Israeli incursion 2A ----State Department concerned about civilian travel 2A ----Powell announces plans for Mideast summit; Bush sets tough terms for Palestinian state 3A allied soldiers launch new search for al-Qaida troops 4A.