Arts Alliance to host fundraising ‘Paint Party’

The Charles County Arts Alliance (CCAA) will host a “Paint Party,” 7-9:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 9 at Boston’s Restaurant, 10440 O’Donnell Place, Waldorf, to benefit the CCAA Arts Scholarship Program. The registration fee is $35 and is due by Friday, Jan. 6. The snow date for the event will be Monday, Jan. 23.

Every year, the CCAA offers a $1,000 scholarship to a talented, high-achieving student at each of the county’s seven high schools, to be applied to tuition at a fouryear college or university for studies toward a career in the performing, visual and literary arts.

Lorina Harris of ArtSmart Studio in Bryans Road will lead the paint party. All supplies are provided and 100 percent of payment goes to the CCAA Arts Scholarship Program.

Boston’s has also agreed to donate a percentage of food and beverage (non-alcoholic) purchases made during the party.

Registration is available through PayPal, by sending a check to CCAA, P.O. Box 697, White Plains, MD 20695, or pay in person at the CCAA Office, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., at 10250 La Plata Road, La Plata.

CSM receives $133,000 from SMECO program

The College of Southern Maryland received a $133,000 rebate from Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative’s (SME- CO’s) Business Solutions program Dec. 6. CSM earned the incentive by completing retrofit lighting projects in nine different buildings at the La Plata, Leonardtown and Prince Frederick campuses.

Before the retrofit project, CSM’s existing lighting fixtures were three-lamp, 32-watt T-8 fluorescent tubes. Each fixture was replaced by a 42-watt LED fixture. Nearly 2,300 fixtures were replaced. Annual energy savings for the college are expected to total 318,958 kilowatt-hours. In addition, the LED tubes that will be used in the new fixtures are going to last at least 60,000 hours, said Senior Associate Nick Lourinia of ICF International, which administers and delivers SMECO’s EmPOWER Mar yland programs, including the Business Solutions program, for SMECO. In contrast, the lights for the old fixtures only lasted between 10,000 and 15,000 hours, Lourinia said.

The cooperative’s EmPOWER Mar yland programs provide incentives for commercial and residential customers to save energy and money by installing energy-efficient appliances, constructing energy-efficient new homes, improving the energy-efficiency of existing homes and businesses, and purchasing energy-efficient lighting.

In addition to the Business Solutions program, SMECO operates the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program for existing homes, the ENERGY STAR New Home program, the Lighting program, the Appliance program and more. Over the eight years of the EmPOWER Maryland programs’ existence, approximately $7 million in rebates and incentives have been awarded SMECO customers. For more about SMECO’s savings programs, see https:// smeco.coop/save-energy-and-money.

CSM was recently presented the 2016 Leadership Award by the Mar yland Green Registry for outstanding contributions to environmentally responsible and sustainable business practices.

Prepare for winter storms

Winter storms can range from a moderate snow over a few hours to a blizzard with blinding, wind-driven snow lasting several days. Many winter storms are accompanied by dangerously low temperatures and sometimes by strong winds, icing, sleet, and freezing rain. Regardless of the severity of a winter storm, it is important to be prepared for winter weather before it strikes. Wednesday, Dec. 21 marks the first day of winter, the Department of Emergency Ser vices encourages residents to take steps to ensure a safe season.

In the home:

Winterize the home by insulating walls and attics, caulking and weather-stripping doors and windows. This includes structures for livestock and pets.

Clear rain gutters. Repair roof leaks and cut away tree branches that could fall on a house or other structure during a storm.

Insulate pipes with insulation or newspapers and plastic and allow faucets to drip a little during cold weather to avoid freezing.

Maintain heating equipment and chimneys by having them cleaned and inspected every year. Have sufficient heating fuel. Citizens may become isolated in their home and regular fuel sources may be cut off. Store a good supply of dry, seasoned wood for your fireplace or wood-burning stove. All fuel-burning equipment should be vented to the outside and kept clear.

Keep fire extinguishers on hand, and make sure everyone in your house knows how to use them. House fires pose an additional risk, as more people turn to alternate heating sources without taking the necessary safety precautions.

Learn how to shut off water valves (in case a pipe bursts).

Check vehicles:

Ensure antifreeze levels are sufficient to avoid freezing.

Check battery and ignition system. It should be in top condition and battery terminals should be clean.

Keep a full tank of gas. A full tank will keep the fuel line from freezing.

Ensure heater and defroster work properly.

Check oil for level and weight. Heavier oils congeal faster at low temperatures and do not lubricate as well.

Repair any problems with wiper equipment and maintain proper washer fluid level.

Make sure tires have adequate tread. All-weather radials are usually adequate for most winter conditions.

Prepare an emergency kit including: shovel, windshield scraper, flashlight, blanket, tow rope, booster cables, emergency flares, and rock salt.

Winter weather terminology:

The National Weather Service urges residents to keep abreast of local forecasts and warnings and familiarize themselves with key weather terminology.

Frost/Freeze warning — Below freezing temperatures are expected.

Freezing rain — Rain that freezes when it hits the ground, creating a coating of ice.

Sleet — Rain that turns to ice pellets before reaching the ground causing roads to freeze and become slippery.

Winter Weather Advisory — Winter weather conditions are expected to cause significant inconveniences and may be hazardous.

Winter Storm Watch — A winter storm is possible in the area.

Winter Storm Warning — A winter storm is occurring or will soon occur in the area.

Blizzard Warning — Sustained winds or frequent gusts to 35 miles per hour or greater and considerable amounts of falling or blowing snow (reducing visibility to less than a quarter mile) are expected to prevail for a period of three hours or longer.

For additional information on winter weather and safety tips, go to www.ready.gov/winter-weather.

Severe weather notices are posted on the Charles County Government website, on Facebook, and on Twitter. Weather updates are also aired on CCGTV, which broadcasts on Comcast channel 95 and Verizon channel 10. Sign up for the Citizen Notification System (CNS) to receive inclement weather and traffic alerts by text message, email, or phone.

For information on power outages, view the SMECO outage map. Call 877-747-6326 to report a power outage. Call 911 in the event of an emergency.