Lisa Collins (Bay Parkway) was walking the beach last week (Dec. 2007) and found a "Princess" balloon floating in the water.  A note was attached stating the balloon was released at a little girls birthday party in Somerset, Pennsylvania.  Lisa plans on writing her back and sending her some mementos from the beach.   12/2/07

click photo to view enlargement

Lisa & Rick, 
Sydney and I want to THANK YOU for the lovely letter and picture. I was incredibly shocked when  I opened it and realized that one of the balloons traveled from Somerset, PA to the Chesapeake Bay!  It was VERY exciting. Your letter will be included in her first year scrapbook. Thank you so much for taking the time to correspond. Growing up, our grade school used to release balloons the beginning of the school year and we'd wait patiently all year long to see who would get a reply. We had so many balloons left over from her first birthday, that I decided to release them with a card. I'm so glad now that I did. Maybe we'll make it an annual tradition! 
 My name is Lori Fisher and I'm Sydney's Mother. She was my first born at a ripe age of 35! I'm currently pregnant with my second child (due July 24th). Unfortunately, my "significant other" walked out on us around Christmas and it's been a very difficult month!  Your letter couldn't have arrived at a better time. Again, thank you for your kindness.  Attached is a picture of Sydney and I at her first Birthday party.... 
Regards,  Lori Fisher & Sydney Beals

                                                                                                                                                             1/22/08

As some of you know, I have been inquiring about the Sharps Island Lighthouse not functioning the entire summer since back in May of '07 and wondering why.

I contacted 'Friends of Lighthouses' with a reply from that organization telling me that many people have contacted the organization about the light not working and no one seemed to know the status.

Well, I contacted the Coast Guard Navigation

Center and below is the response I received from them.  It would be sad to not have the Sharps Island Lighthouse working again since I have looked out across the Chesapeake Bay my entire life and seen it shine!   The lighthouse is known as the 'Leaning Tower of Lighthouses'.   The only lighthouse that has a permanent tilt to it.   Maybe we can adopt it!  :-)

Mr. Meyer,

Thank you for contacting the Coast Guard Navigation Center.  We have contacted the USCG Aids to Navigation Team in MD and they informed us that they sent out a casualty report and subsequent Broadcast Notice to Mariners in 2005 for the Sharps Island Lighthouse.  The structure is very badly deteriorated and they have no way to access it and perform routine maintenance on this light.  There are no immediate plans for the light to become operational again.

We hope this addresses your inquiry.  In order to better serve the public, please inform us if this answer was helpful.

Sincerely,
USCG Navigation Information Service
7323 Telegraph Road
Alexandria, Virginia 22315
Tel:  (703) 313-5900
Fax: (703) 313-5920
http://www.navcen.uscg.gov

11/29/07

NECA Meeting

We would like to thank Jay Degges, an owner of the Neeld property, for attending and speaking at the November 2007 NECA meeting.  Over 30 residents attended this very informative meeting and many topics were discussed.  More details from the meeting will be posted soon.

11/3/07

Sheriff's Department Police Report:   Drug Arrest in Neeld Estate
May 1, 2007, 10:20 p.m.
Dfc. Richard S. Wilson responded to the end of Bay Parkway in the Neeld Estates subdivision to investigate a call of trespassers in a house under construction.  Another responding officer, Sgt. Brian McCourt, located a vehicle occupied by two males parked in a driveway.  Officer Wilson approached the vehicle and observed suspected marijuana on the console. One of the men advised the vehicle and contents were his.  He was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
  

Your help is needed to keep Neeld Estate a safe place to live. 
Please report suspicious activity in our community. 

"Santa" made an early delivery to the Neeld Estate community.  We were gifted with a beautiful Santa suit from John Mishler. Thanks John... we appreciate your generosity and your dedication each Christmas to our community.                                                                                                        6/2/07

July 2004 - Calvert Marine Museum Fossil Club Newsletter - 
Article and pictures about Neeld Estate and "Identifind Day"
can be found on page 11. Very nice newsletter.
(Newsletter is in PDF format)

DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND ZONING CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE GUIDE PERMIT REQUIREMENTS FOR CONSTRUCTION IN THE FLOODPLAIN        REVISED MAY 2006

ttp://www.co.cal.md.us/residents/building/planning/howtoguide/floodplainregs/default.asp

Mosquito Info

(7/11/05)

 The wharf at Plum Point was a bustling commercial center that included a warehouse, Plum Point Store, a post office, a passenger terminal building, and a cannery. The first general store was actually two Civil War-era buildings---a warehouse and a slave dwelling. After 1893, the store was expanded on the east side and a large porch was built across the front of the structure. One account reports, "the store was the hub of the community, a gathering place for both blacks and whites, and everyone who knew it holds their own special memories."

The store was an important gathering place for more than just trade. There is an interesting story from the Civil War era---two Confederate soldiers were in the Plum Point store when they were alerted to the presence of Union soldiers. The Confederate men quickly went up into the attic and changed their clothes. The men hid their swords under the floorboards of the attic.  Their swords were found there decades later.