Those Legal Fees Flow Like Water Over the Dam

The Calvert County Board of County Commissioners voted Tuesday to approve funding for an additional $13,262 in legal expenses incurred in June relating to the county's lawsuit with the Chesapeake Ranch Water Co.

The latest payment brings the cost to the county to $910,896 since the water company filed the first of two lawsuits in September 2003, after the county announced that it would provide water service to the Lusby town center and a nearby office park, which the company has argued that it could do more effectively.

The amount approved this week is less than the $59,524 the board approved last month for expenses generated in May by the lawsuit, but Commissioner Barbara A. Stinnett (D-At Large) was willing to contemplate that within another month or two the cost could eclipse the $1 million mark.

"I hate to think how much we could have done with a million dollars," she said. "Where does it all end?"

Disaster Care for Pets

The Calvert County Board of County Commissioners, the Board of Education and the Sheriff's Office agreed Tuesday to establish the Automotive Building of the Calvert Career Center in Prince Frederick as an emergency animal pet shelter to be used in the event of a disaster.

Calvert residents with pets would be directed to use Calvert High School as a shelter so they would be close to where their animals would be sheltered.

"Leaving animals to their own devices is not something acceptable to pet owners," Commissioner Linda L. Kelley (R-At Large) said at the board's meeting. "As we learned with Katrina, some residents refused to evacuate because they didn't want to leave their pets behind."

John R. Fenwick, the director of the Emergency Management and Safety Division, said residents would be responsible for bringing their pets in carriers to the center with pet food and medications. Negotiations were still being made with kennels to handle overflow, he said.

Cancer Benefit in the Pink

The Pink Ladies Breast Cancer Survivor Group of Southern Maryland raised more than $23,000 recently with singing, dancing and auctions. The money will be donated to the Johns Hopkins Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Center in Baltimore.

Dorothy and Bob Gilman, organizers of the " Ronnie Dove Show for Breast Cancer," held at the Waldorf Jaycees Community Center on July 21, held a 50/50 raffle and also auctioned desserts and 43 silent auction items donated by people and businesses in the area.

Dove, who had many pop hits during the 1960s, including "Right or Wrong" (1964), "One Kiss for Old Time's Sake" (1965), and "Cry" (1966), serenaded Dorothy Gilman with "Little Bit of Heaven" (1965).

The Gilmans got to know Dove when he performed at events such as their 30th wedding anniversary and Dorothy's 65th birthday party.

"We became friends," Dorothy Gilman said. "And he knew I got the breast cancer. And I wondered if it would be okay for him to sing for me and bring his band. And it just came together over lunch."

Dave Gilhert from Huntingtown in Calvert County won the $820 raffle and quickly donated the money back to the group. Dorothy Gilman, who is a breast cancer survivor, said a cake donated by Deborah Taylor from Charles Street Bakery drew $100 and a cake from the Crossing at Casey Jones went for an astounding $200.

"The people who got the Crossing cake, after they cut it and ate some, they starting selling slices to raise money for the fundraiser," Dorothy Gilman said. "That was pretty ingenious."

The Web site http://www.breastcancer.org offers information and support regarding breast cancer.