Tag Archives: Stevensville

Stevensville Man on “The Price is Right”

Air Force Staff Sgt. Malcolm Lawson of Stevensville appeared on “The Price is Right” game show on Friday, February 11. Lawson was on vacation in California when he attended the studio session where he was chosen from 320 others. Lawson grew up on Kent Island, where his parents, Burness and Veronica Lawson, still live. He graduated from Kent Island High School and attended two years at Chesapeake College before joining the Air Force. He served in Japan for over two years and recently returned home from Afghanistan. He is stationed at Andrews Air Force Base for satellite communications. He has two brothers, Shane Lawson of Stevensville and Kevin Lawson of Eldersburg.

Stevensville Father, Son Die in Car Crash

A father and son from Stevensville died from injuries from a two-vehicle crash on U.S. Route 50 in Bowie, Maryland. The crash occurred when a 2010 Hyundai Accent driven by Joseph Michael Hein struck a stolen 2004 Cadillac SRX that was stopped in the center lane with no lights on, police said. Hein, 59, was taken to Prince George’s General Hospital where he was pronounced dead. His son, identified as Joseph Michael “Mikey” Hein Jr., 6, was taken to Children’s National Medical Center in Washington in critical condition, where he later died from his injuries. He was a first-grader at Matapeake Elementary School.

Police are unsure if there was anyone in the black Cadillac at the moment of impact. They said two people found walking nearby are “subjects of interest and in custody.” Anyone wanting to make a donation to help the family can make contributions to Tara Hein, c/o Chesapeake Bay Wrestling, 109 Baltimore Drive, Stevensville, MD 21666.

Stevensville Boy Dies After Bike Hit By Car

Fourteen-year-old Gage Svedeba of Stevensville was riding his bike when a Honda Civic driven by 23-year-old Tara Riley of Stevensville missed the first turn into the Food Lion parking lot and opted for the next entrance. Svedeba was wearing a helmet, but also wearing dark clothing and had no headlight on his bicycle. Svedeba was flown to Shock-Trauma, where he died several days later. Riley was not injured in the crash.

Stevensville Girl Receives New Heart

Seven-year-old Allyson Fowler of Cloverfields received a new heart, “a perfect match,” according to her doctor, Luca Vricella. The surgery took place July 24 and, in true form of the little girl who caught a bushel of crabs, swam and played through symptoms that would have brought the average person to their knees, Ally’s recovery at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore is pacing above average, and she hopes to come home this week.

Dr. Luca Vricella is the chief of Pediatric Heart Surgery at Johns Hopkins. He called Ally a “feisty little girl” and said it may be her personality that has helped her in recovery. “I went into her room this morning and she was dressed and ready to go for a walk. She looked like any normal kid, only with an IV,” said Vricella six days after surgery.

Ally was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy in mid-June when doctors discovered her heart’s left ventricle was not pumping blood at a fast enough rate. In order to keep Ally alive while waiting for a new heart, she was operated on and fitted with a Berlin Heart. Her mother Beverly Fowler said, “She was struggling with the concept of the Berlin Heart as a temporary thing. She really didn’t want it to be forever.”

Ally got her wish when news of a viable donor heart came within 10 days of the Berlin Heart surgery. Vricella confirmed this was an exceptionally short wait. He said variables such as the age and size of the patient combined with the region someone lives in, contribute to the length of wait. Even though Ally was able to accept a heart from a donor up to 110 pounds, she still needed a relatively small heart, which is very scarce in this northeast region, according to Vricella.

Vricella described a frustrating situation at the airport when traveling to retrieve the donor heart. He said they received the call that morning but were told, “if you want it, you need to be here by 11 a.m.” He said they made a decision and left for the airport. “One of the (plane’s) engines was not working and we were about to give up,” said Vricella, but they found a new plane and left just in time. He described the result of that effort as “a perfect match for Ally” that “fit perfectly and just looked like it belonged in her body.”

Fowler said the change in Ally’s attitude was almost immediate after she received the new heart. She and husband Jim arrived in Ally’s room the morning after surgery and found their resilient daughter ready to move forward. “We were expecting her to be sedated and on a ventilator but she was wide awake and communicating with us. I was quite surprised to see her so alert and awake. All of her doctors and nurses were amazed as well,” Fowler said.

Fowler said Ally was not able to talk because of the ventilator but was able to write her thoughts. “The only two things she was concerned about were getting the breathing tube out and having something to drink.” Fowler said her daughter continued to ask for the breathing tube to be removed and by 3 p.m., she got her way.

“She was doing so well and clearly didn’t need to be on the ventilator, so after one more look from Dr. Vricella, he agreed to have her extubated. This is not common after a surgery like Ally’s.” Fowler attributed Ally’s remarkable progress to her strong will and Vricella agreed. “She has exceeded even our expectations,” he said.

Fowler requested prayers for the family “who suffered the loss of a loved one and are experiencing a tremendous amount of sadness and grief.” Vricella said Ally’s story is a testament to the need for donors. He said at any given time, he has at least five children under his care who are waiting for a perfect match of their own. “It’s the most wonderful gift there is,” Vricella said.

The new heart does not come with any guarantees, but the Fowlers and Vricella are optimistic about a return home. Once home, Ally will need to have a heart biopsy every three to four weeks and will have to take medication for the rest of her life. The family will need to wear masks as an extra precaution to keep Ally germ free. She will be home-schooled for the first marking period and join her class at Kent Island Elementary School in October.

Arts Galore on the Shore

Art of the Deals
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Courthouse Square & Downtown Centreville
9 a.m.-1 p.m.
410-758-2520
http://arts4u.info

Community wide event featuring artists, a farmers market, music, demonstrations and information tables on the Courthouse Green. Downtown merchants will have specials and sidewalk sales. Interested artists and civic groups should call the Arts Council about renting a table.

Art in the Park
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Historic Stevensville
9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Rain or shine
410-643-9075

This is the Arts Studios and Merchants of Historic Stevensville’s annual outdoor event. Artists and craftsman come from all over the state to show off their best creations, great food! Rain or shine!

Art’s Alive
Saturday, June 19, 2010 – Sunday, June 20, 2010
200-125th St. Bayside
Ocean City
Sat., 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun., 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
800-626-2326
http://ococean.com/events

Visit beautiful Northside Park to discover that art is alive for the entire family in Ocean City! Ocean City’s 10th Annual Fine Art Show will feature more than 100 artists selling their treasures and competing for awards. There’s something very special about fine art at the beach! Visit the artists as they sell their art around the picturesque lagoon at Northside Park, 127th Street and the Bay. Listen to lively music while you enjoy lunch at the Artists’ Café. Also, your children can enjoy free, creative art activities. Bring the whole family and create an “Artsy” Ocean City memory at Art’s Alive 2010.

Second Annual Art in the Park Comes to Stevensville

If you are one of the many who enjoys art and supporting your local community then you won’t want to miss the Second Annual Art in the Park celebration Saturday, June 19th, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in historic downtown Stevensville. Once again “Pocket Park”, that grassy knoll behind Rustico on Love Point Road, will transform into a live mixed media canvas when local artists display there fine art and crafts.

The festival, sponsored in part by the Arts and Entertainment District and Kent Island Federation of Arts is designed to celebrate the works of local artists and crafters from the Eastern Shore and beyond, as well as celebrating our cultural heritage. Local artist and event co-organizer Maureen Bannon says she hopes this years festival will not only be bigger and better, but will help promote those local artists whose work not only celebrates Kent Island and the Eastern Shore but works to keep its traditions alive.  “We keep working through these tough economic times hoping to emerge the better for our struggles and all-the-while we continue to encourage folks to help keep the art and history alive here,” said Bannon. “There is so much history and cultural talent on the Shore that folks don’t truly know about. What better way to showcase them than with a local festival,” she said.

A variety of art will be displayed including original paintings, photography, pottery, sculpture, jewelry, fused glass, ribbon weaving, digital print art and more. The local shops and historic sites will be open all day offering demonstrations and tours as well as art activities for children. There will be live music, local food vendors, and a farmer’s market. There is truly something here for everyone. So come support your local art community. Vendor space is still available. Booth fees are $25 for artists, $35 for undercover space (limited available), and $50 for food vendors. For applications or more information call 410-643-9075 or 410-604-1230.

Stevensville Fire Hospitalizes Two

A split-level on Monroe Court in Stevensville caught fire last weekend, sending 46-year-old John Finnerty and his 12-year-old daughter to the hospital for smoke inhalation. The fire caused about $40,000 in damage. The home is reportedly owned by Finnerty’s girlfriend, Lisa Burkey. There is no word on what caused the fire.

Kent Island Day

This event commemorated the founding of Kent Island in 1631. Displays, activities and crafts are presented which demonstrate Kent Island’s Heritage. The event will be held in Historic Stevensville Downtown Center from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. For more information visit www.kentislandheritagesociety.org.

Saturday, May 15, 2010
Historic Stevensville Downtown Center

Car Collides with School Bus

A car collided with a school bus on Love Point Road in Stevensville. James Chastain, 54-years-old, was driving a Chevy and did not see the stopped school bus, literally drove underneath the bus’s rear bumper. Chastain was taken to Shock-Trauma as a precaution. No one on the school bus was hurt. Crews had to use a front-loader to get the bus off the car. Queen Anne’s County has had three school bus and car accidents this school year, all the fault of the other driver.