in brief

Fowler Patuxent River Wade In Is Today

Former state senator Bernie Fowler's 21st annual Patuxent River Wade In is this afternoon at Broomes Island.

The program begins at 1 p.m., with the wade in at 1:30.

Each year, elected officials and residents participate in the event, walking hand-in-hand into the Patuxent River to gauge the health and cleanliness of the waterway, which is measured according to Fowler's "sneaker index."

Fowler wears white sneakers for the event, and the water clarity index is the depth at which his shoes disappear from sight.

Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) announced Friday that he will attend the wade in, which Fowler started to call attention to the importance of working together to clean up Maryland's waterways, particularly those that flow into the Chesapeake Bay.

During the program, Hoyer will speak about recent congressional action aimed at cleaning up the bay, including $438 million in the federal farm bill to help farmers control erosion and reduce sediment and nutrient levels.

Lower Potomac Event Planned in Charles

The annual Lower Potomac Tributary Wade In is from 1 to 5 p.m. June 22 along the shoreline at the Morgantown Electric Generating Plant on the river in Charles County.

This event also makes a clarity measurement using the "sneaker index." Improved water clarity allows sea grasses to grow; abundant sea grasses provide nursery ground for other marine species to grow and reproduce.

For the past decade, the Morgantown plant has hosted the event with food, displays and a raptor show. The entrance to the event is from Route 301 just north of the Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge.

Mirant, the owner of the power plant, brings in sturgeons as a display. The large fish prefer murky river habitats and are a source of caviar. Sturgeons help clean the river by sucking up mayflies and other aquatic insect larvae.

Historic over-fishing of the species has taken the sturgeon population to an all-time low. Programs run by Mirant and others breed sturgeons; reproductive maturity takes 15 to 18 years.

Grant Supports Hospice

The Dunkirk Wal-Mart store recently awarded Calvert Hospice a $1,750 community grant to support bereavement programs.

Calvert Hospice offers free services to children, teenagers and adults in Calvert County.

The grant was arranged by Laurie Bennett, store manager; Robert Mattia, assistant store manager; and John Bahr, community involvement coordinator.

-- Compiled by TOM LANSWORTH