Funds Pledged For Road Project

St. Mary's Urges Input on Zoning

St. Mary's officials are asking property owners and others to submit rezoning requests to the Lexington Park Development Districtby March 1.

The recommended deadline is part of the process underway to update land zoning within the district to implement the Lexington Park Master Plan that was adopted by the county commissioners Nov. 1. To implement the plan, zoning for property within the development district will be amended as envisioned by the new plan.

During this process, landowners or any interested person may make requests for rezoning of properties within the Lexington Park Development District; zoning on properties outside the district will not be considered at this time. The Planning Commission will individually evaluate requests and recommend for approval or denial to the Board of County Commissioners.

Though the public is invited to participate throughout the zoning-update process, the Planning Commission encourages that rezoning requests be submitted by March 1. The County will then conduct public hearings on the recommended new zoning.

Youth Forum Seeks Sponsors

Businesses and organizations are teaming up to sponsor the second Southern Maryland Youth Leadership Conference for high school students in Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary's counties. Students from Gwynn Park High School in Prince George's are also eligible.

The event is free to 50 students who will be enrolled in the 10th or 11th grades during the 2006-07 school year. The conference is being organized and funded by Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative, local public school systems, the St. Mary's County Department of Recreation, Parks and Community Services and the local chambers of commerce.

The conference is scheduled to take place at St. Mary's College of Maryland in Historic St. Mary's City, June 18-21. Students will participate in activities teaching leadership skills in ethics, government and communications. Speakers will present topics to educate students, and evening events will provide entertainment and recreational activities, according to SMECO.

Students interested in attending the conference should contact the guidance department at their school; applications may also be downloaded and printed from http://www.somdyouthleadership.com or http://www.smeco.coop . Completed applications should be submitted to the student's guidance department; see counselors for deadline information.

Southern Maryland businesses and organizations are invited to participate in the conference by sponsoring speakers, printing materials and providing giveaways for the students. Those interested in such a role should contact Bernadette Lewis at 301-274-4340. There are two levels of sponsorship: Congressional Sponsor with a $250 contribution or a Presidential Sponsor with a $500 contribution.

Farmer, Activist Gap Narrows

Farmers and environmentalists have traditionally been at odds during General Assembly sessions in Annapolis. This year, it seems some old divisions have been plowed under with the two sides coming together to push an environmental cleanup agenda that would give more money to farmers to help reduce pollution.

It's a turnaround partnership that environmental watchers say is likely to dominate environmental debate in this year's General Assembly session, which opened earlier this month.

Environmental groups, including the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, say they have concluded that farmers want to be good stewards of the land, they just need more money. As a result, there are proposals to give farmers more funds to plant cover crops in the winter to reduce harmful runoff, more money to grow barley and switchgrass for biofuel production and funding for more extension agents to teach farmers conservation strategies.