Paint-In event features local artist painting landmark bridge

Vicki Marckel, a local artist and art teacher, will perform a “paint-in” event 2 p.m. April 30 at Captain Billy’s Crab House restaurant, 11495 Popes Creek Road, Newburg. Marckel will begin working onsite to create a painting of the Gov. Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge, a notable Charles County landmark.

The oil with mixed medium painting will be on stretched canvas and use grisaille technique, a type of painting executed entirely in shades of grey or neutral colors. The final painting will be initially displayed at the Crain Memorial Welcome Center, 12480 Crain Highway, Newburg.

A fine arts teacher at Lackey High School for more than 10 years, Marckel’s work is in private and public collections, has won several awards, and is on permanent display at the Jarrett Thor Art Gallery. In 2015, she was commissioned by the Catholic Coalition of the Archbishops to paint “Saints of God, Come to Our Aid.” This painting, which featured the saints of the Americas, was gifted to Pope Francis during his visit to the United States, and is hanging in the Vatican. Another of Marckel’s projects will be featured at the American Embassy in Rome during the exhibition, “Transcending Boundaries,” which will be on display in May and features 20 artists.

For more information about the event, contact

Report card distribution date changed to April 15

Charles County Public Schools changed the report card distribution date for next week. Report cards will be distributed to elementary school students on Friday, April 15. Report cards will be mailed to middle and high school parents on April 15.

The original distribution date of Tuesday, April 12 was changed due to technical difficulties the school system has experienced with Edline, the system’s gradebook provider. The change will provide teachers with additional time to finalize third-quarter grades. Edline is working to resolve the technical issues, which are affecting clients nationwide.

United Way to host 19th annual golf tournament

United Way of Charles County will hold its 19th Annual Golf Tournament April 20 at Swan Point Yacht and Country Club. Back-to-back tournaments with shotgun start times of 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. will take place. Sponsorship and registration forms are available at www.unitedwaycharles.org/golftournament.

For the first time ever, United Way of Charles County will host a hole-inone contest with the prize of a 2016 Ford Mustang. Additionally, all other par 3 holes will feature premium prizes.

Individuals or companies can sponsor the tournament with major, tournament or hole sponsorship levels and/or tournament sign sponsorships and be publicly recognized as a supporter of United Way of Charles County.

There will be contests, a complimentary light breakfast, on-course beverages and snacks, a full meal in the clubhouse following play and prizes for the top three teams in each tournament.

County Treasurer’s Office renovations begin April 9

The Treasurer’s Office located in the Charles County Government Building, 200 Baltimore St., La Plata, is scheduled to begin renovations on Saturday, April 9. The office will be operational, but there may be delays for patrons.

Payments of taxes and water bills will be accepted at the satellite office located at 3670 Leonardtown Road, Suite 105, Waldorf. The hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Construc- tion is expected to last 30 to 60 days.

For more information, contact the Office of the Treasury at 301-645-0685 or Treasurer@CharlesCountyMd.gov.

Citizens with special needs may contact the Maryland Relay Service at 711, or Relay Service TDD: 800-735-2258.

2016 annual spring ‘Fishin’ Buddies’ Derby scheduled May 7

The Charles County Department of Public Works, Parks Division, will sponsor the 2016 annual Spring Fishin’ Buddies Derby at Gilbert Run Park in Dentsville, 7 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturday, May 7.

Anglers will compete by teams, which must include one adult at least 21 years of age and one child between the ages of 6 and 15. Each team must supply their own rods and bait. Trophies will be awarded in the two age divisions. Bank anglers will compete separately from those who fish from a boat.

Local businesses have donated numerous fishing-related door prizes. All teams are eligible for the door prize drawings. Lunch will be provided to all participants.

The entry fee is $7 per team. Pre-registration is required since participation is limited.

Entry forms are available at Gilbert Run Park or the main office of the Department of Public Works on Radio Station Road in La Plata, Maryland.

Registration forms are due in the Department of Public Works’ main office by noon on Wednesday, May 4.

For more information or to receive an entry form, call the Department of Public Works, Parks Division, at 301-932-3470 or 301-870-2778 weekdays between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Citizens with special needs may contact the Maryland Relay Service at 711, or Relay Service TDD: 800-735-2258.

Sheriff’s office joins DEA for prescription drug take back initiative

The Charles County Sheriff’s Office will join the Drug Enforcement Administration in the National Medications-Take-Back initiative, a program held annually to encourage people with unwanted prescription medications to dispose of them safely and in a way that is environmentally friendly, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday, April 30.

Although the CCSO offers residents the opportunity to dispose of unwanted medications at any time, the agency is promoting this national event to highlight the importance of ridding homes of medicines that are no longer needed.

Rates of prescription drug abuse are alarmingly high, particularly among teens and young adults who often get the drugs from a family member or friend, including the home medicine cabinet, according to a press release.

Prescription drugs, such as Oxycodone and Percocet, are popular among addicts who often turn to stealing or robbing to feed their habits. During the most recent medication take-back event in Septem-

ber of 2015, more than 350 tons of pharmaceutical substances and medications were collected nationwide. Agencies in Maryland alone collected more than 8,300 pounds.

To drop off unwanted medications, bring the medicines to either the Waldorf station at 3670 Leonardtown Road or the La Plata station at 6855 Crain Highway; medications can be turned in at the District II station in Bryans Road during regular business hours.

Intravenous solutions, injectibles, and syringes are not accepted. For additional information, go to www.ccso.us.

USDA announces $260 million available for conservation program

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced the availability of up to $260 million for partner proposals to improve the nation’s water quality, combat drought, enhance soil health, support wildlife habitat and protect agricultural viability. The funding is being made available through the Regional Conservation Part- nership Program (RCPP) administered by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

RCPP encourages local leadership to establish partnerships to work with farmers and forest landowners on landscape- and watershed-scale conservation solutions that work best for their region.

Partners in Delaware and Maryland are encouraged to submit their project proposals online at Grants.gov by May 10 for available funding.

This will be the third round of funding for RCPP.

In the last two years, RCPP projects have left a large conser- vation footprint across state lines that have and will have beneficial impacts on Delaware and Maryland farmers, according to a press release.

As an example, NRCS selected eight RCPP projects within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed in 2015, including Meeting Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) Goals in the Chesapeake Bay. This project brings together 15 partners to accelerate conservation and help Maryland and Delaware farmers to meet the nutrient and sediment water quality goals set forth in the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL).

Meeting WIP Goals in the Chesapeake Bay includes a $4.5 million investment from NRCS and $5.4 million from local partners, bringing more than $10 million for this locally-led approach to help producers support their ongoing business operations and address natural resource challenges in Maryland and Delaware.

NRCS is now accepting proposals for Fiscal Year 2017 RCPP funding.

Pre-proposals are due May 10 through grants.gov. For more information on applying, go to the RCPP website, at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/farmbill/rcpp/.