By Julie Reardon Remote lessons/learning weren’t a thing for many of us growing up, and snow days were keenly appreciated. They still are, and fortunately most don’t include any remote studying. Cancellation of classes for snow is cause for play, whether you live in town or in a rural area. In fact, we laughed at a recent TV poll that was over 80 percent against remote lessons on snow days. I suppose those in support of remote lessons on snow days were childless churls. We rarely get stuck here since Doug has a big 4-wheel drive tractor with a bucket and grader and makes a little money digging people out of their longish farm driveways. Livestock needs to be checked, plenty of hay provided and stock tanks inspected to make sure the floating de-icer is functioning. Fencing needs to be checked so that any fallen trees creating escape routes can be fixed or rigged up to stay put until better weather. The only good thing about those escape routes is that the escapees can be tracked by their hoof prints. Now AI can come to the rescue estimating the probability of snow days. You can visit websites or even buy apps for snow day predictions from artificial intelligence. Next, we ‘ll be getting robo-calls to buy them. Luckily you can ignore some or all of the predictions and wait for the news to call it. Unless you’re somewhere where the only white on the ground is sugar white sand with turquoise waves lapping at it. If that’s the case, do your friends a favor and don’t brag. We know February is the month of love, but weather wise, it’s a bust more often than something to love. We can’t wait to get out of the house as it draws to…
By Caribbean Journal Staff Congratulations to all of This Year’s Winners! I can’t believe we haven’t been back to our favorite places in the Virgin Islands – mainly St. John – for almost ten years. We were going at least one a year for several years in a row. Guess time and money, or lack thereof, has kept us mainland bound. Will, hopefully, rectify that this year! Alexander and his Staff at the Journal did a fabulous job covering these awards. We are very happy to see that The Saint Hotel on St. John received the New Caribbean Hotel award and that Charlotte Amalie on St. John took the Experiential Destination of the Year award. Looking forward to checking out The Saint and being back in Charlotte Amalie again soon. The following isn’t all inclusive. The entire listing can be found at caribjournal.com – Lani, Old Town Crier. Full article here: https://www.caribjournal.com/2026/01/21/caribbean-travel-awards-2026/
By Jeremy Cox An effort to map sites important to African American history in the Chesapeake Bay region has uncovered dozens of previously undocumented examples and shed new light on many more — many with close ties to waterways and the Bay itself. State preservation offices, the National Park Service’s Chesapeake Gateways Network and the National Trust for Historic Preservation collaborated on the five-year, $400,000 project, known as the Chesapeake Mapping Initiative. The effort centered on documenting places associated with influential Black people and important historical events involving African Americans — before those locations fade into history themselves. “Even just finding one more historic site that we didn’t know about before was a win,” said Lawana Holland-More, director of grantee impact and engagement for the trust’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. “African American history is American history, and these places are our tangible contributions to it.” In many cases, researchers learned they were 5-10 years too late: An old structure had been demolished, for instance, or decay had taken its toll, or the human repositories of vital information were no longer alive. Holland-Moore said she hopes that the project helps communities protect more sites important to the story of African Americans in the Chesapeake region. “Being able to formally recognize these sites is so important to their preservation,” she said. The initiative focused on three Bay states: Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Because of budget and time constraints, team members narrowed their surveys to portions of each state’s geography. Many of the featured places and people are connected to the Chesapeake Bay and the region’s rivers, but not all. In Virginia, where researchers focused on African American watermen, the effort documented 97 sites overall. In Maryland, team members focused on Calvert, Kent and Somerset counties and identified 350 sites. In…
Photo courtesy of Peterson Companies By Lani Gering Let’s define “wicked”. It has several meanings according to the Oxford Dictionary including something extremely unpleasant (despite the lovely snow, the ice and extreme cold have been wicked) and something excellent (I make some wicked Bloody Mary’s). Leading off with the official press release from Peterson Companies regarding a smaller version of the Sphere in Las Vegas coming to the Harbor: “The proposed National Harbor venue would be the first smaller-scale Sphere, with capacity of 6,000 seats. Smaller-scale Spheres would feature an Exosphere – the exterior LED display of Sphere that showcases both artistic and branded content and reaches audiences globally. The venue would also feature a 16K x 16K interior display plane – the world’s highest-resolution LED screen. All of Sphere’s advanced technologies would be incorporated, including Sphere Immersive Sound, as well as haptic seating and 4D environmental effects. Any construction, development, financing and operation of a Sphere venue at National Harbor is contingent upon, among other things, negotiation and execution of definitive agreements, as well as receipt of certain governmental incentives and approvals from Prince George’s County and the State of Maryland. About Sphere: It is an experiential medium that is redefining the future of immersive experiences. Powered by advanced technologies that ignite the senses, Sphere is a venue where the foremost artists, creators, and technologists create extraordinary experiences that bring storytelling to a new level and transport audiences to places both real and imagined. The venue hosts original Sphere Experiences from leading Hollywood creatives; concerts and residencies from the world’s biggest artists; and premier brand events. The first Sphere opened in Las Vegas, with a second venue planned for Abu Dhabi. More information is available at thesphere.com.” When I saw the first social media message regarding a “Barbie Doll” version…
By Karen Udler Wow…I have been to some great places here on the mainland that have interesting monikers including The Bitches Corner Bar located pretty much in my hometown in Wyoming and, yes, I’ve known the “original” bitch for close to 50 years. I have been in more than one Pecker’s and Dick’s as well. This month I was really intrigued by the piece in the Caribbean Journal on Big Bastard’s! I have got to figure out a way to get down there. I don’t know anywhere you can go spend a day on the beach on an island in the Caribbean with all of the bells and whistles – including adult beverages and eats – at your beck and call for a mere $149.00 per couple! – Lani, Old Town Crier.
By Lani Gering Can you believe that we are starting a brand-new year already? Truth be known, I am happy to see 2025 hit the bricks. It has been a hellava year on the political front and living this close to the “heart of the beast” just seems to amplify things. That, coupled with my very favorite spot in the Harbor, Bond 45, closing its doors at no fault of its own on the 1st is why I am looking forward to a better 2026. January is historically a slow month pretty much everywhere. The Harbor may be quieter than most since the Gaylord convention traffic slows down with the exception of Super MAGFest happening January 8th to the 11th. According to their website, “Super MAGFest (short for Music and Gaming Festival) is a four-day long event dedicated to the appreciation of video game music, gaming of all types, and the gaming community. The event runs 24 hours – yes, you read that right – a day and offers consoles, arcades, tabletop, LAN, live video game cover bands, chiptunes, vendors, guest speakers and much more.” I have been a witness to a couple of these “gatherings” over the years and I must say that just people watching the attendees is very entertaining in itself. People come from all over the USA and possibly other countries to stay up all night drinking water and using creative methods of relieving themselves on and above the use of Depends. Tack on to all of the music and gaming, the Cosplay. I never fully understood what cosplay meant until I joined a good friend for a couple of Bloody Mary’s at Old Hickory while her youngest daughter and friend participated last year. I wish I had taken some photos. According to the google definition,…
By Julie Reardon Things are really quiet here in Hunt Country during the month of January so I thought maybe some of this useless information might be entertaining for you to ponder during the upcoming winter days. Unless you’re younger, an influencer and on social media a lot, you might not know what are considered the current cool new words and phrases and the ones that are so yesterday. The beginning of a brand new year is a good time to learn what words and phrases someone cooler than you decided were winners and losers. Many of us find it entertaining to learn new words or enjoy the picks and if you find any you like, incorporate them into your vocabulary and writing. Some years the picks—usually done by dictionary staff—are better than others and sometimes they almost seem deja vu. Slop is the word of the year for 2025 by Merriam-Webster’s human editors. They define slop as “digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence.” All that stuff dumped on our screens, captured in just four letters: the English language came through again. The flood of slop in 2025 included absurd videos, off-kilter advertising images, cheesy propaganda, fake news that looks pretty real, junky AI-written books, “workslop” reports that waste coworkers’ time… and lots of talking cats. People found it annoying, and people ate it up. “AI Slop is Everywhere,” warned The Wall Street Journal, while admitting to enjoying some of those cats. “AI Slop Has Turned Social Media into an Antisocial Wasteland,” reported CNET. Like slime, sludge, and muck, slop has the wet sound of something you don’t want to touch. Slop oozes into everything. The original sense of the word, in the 1700s, was “soft mud.” In the 1800s it came to mean “food waste” (as in “pig slop”),…
By Molly Winans “What Do Cool People Do! Why Frostbite Racing Is Cool. It’s 34 degrees outside. The water temperature measures in the upper 30s. It might get gusty out. It might snow. What would you rather do: lounge on the couch or go sailing? Hundreds of sailors on the Chesapeake Bay choose the latter. Every winter, we like to reach out to a few of them to learn their reasoning, their expert winter gear tips, and suggestions for curious would-be winter sailors. What’s the appeal? Warren Richter races his J/22 Committed with his partner in racing and wife, Tracey. Richter says, “I enjoy frostbite to keep our skills sharp during the so called ‘off-season.’ It’s great to get out, get some sunshine, and have fun racing. Makes dusting off the rust in the springtime much easier and also allows for racing that is less boat-handling-intensive. It is a great time to train new crew and practice.” Tracy adds, “We’re not sure what we’d do with our time if we didn’t have a reason to be on the water. Also racing with just a main and jib as required by frostbites gives us an opportunity to work on our fleet management without having to worry so much about boat handling. Also, there is usually significantly more wind than during the rest of the year, so we get to practice in different conditions.’ The Committed frostbite team includes Mary Howser, Koralina and James McKenna, Amanda Gates, and Bryan Stout. Richter notes, “They are all fantastic sailors. We appreciate everything they do to come racing with us.” Gavin O’Hare, who races ILCA class dinghies (formerly Laser) out of Severn Sailing Association on Sundays, says, “Because the winter is cold, it puts a damper on doing most things outside. Dinghy frostbiting is different….
Courtesy Visit St. Mary’s From unique local events that capture the spirit of the season to charming boutiques and markets offering one-of-a-kind gifts, there is something for everyone to enjoy in St. Mary’s County this holiday season. As the holiday season approaches, our region transforms into a vibrant hub of festivities, holiday markets and signature events. So, bundle up, grab your loved ones, and embark on a holiday adventure in St. Mary’s County that you’ll cherish for years to come. Here is our guide to the special events, markets and festivals that make St. Mary’s County your holiday happy place. Special Events There are countless events that will brighten your holidays with all the small-town charm you expect in St. Mary’s County. Here is just a taste of events around the county, for a full list visit the Events Calendar. On Dec 6, Historic St. Mary’s city (HSMC) will host its Frost Fair! Between 1607 and 1814, the river Thames would freeze for months at a time. Beginning in 1607, there were seven total Frost Fairs held over the years when the Thames froze, allowing vendors to set up booths on the ice. HSMC is modernizing this idea with a holiday village featuring artisans, warm beverages, live music, and holiday light displays. Enjoy a day filled with family fun, live entertainment, and holiday cheer. From Dec 6-7, the Lexington Park Business Association will host its annual Holly Days Extravaganza. On Dec 6, come for a Tree and Menorah Lighting Ceremony from 5:30 – 6:30 pm. Then, on Dec 7 from 1-4 p.m., the Extravaganza will feature pictures with Santa, arts and crafts for all ages, a vendor shopping experience, and display featuring the various holidays celebrated this time of year. All events take place in and around the Lexington Park Library. On Dec 7,…
By Lani Gering If you read this column last month, you know I was banging out holiday stuff before Halloween had rolled around. Not quite as bad this month since Thanksgiving is only 2 days away as I bang this column out. All of the DMV tree lightings happened last weekend and the holiday decorations are starting to appear on storefronts en masse. I have to admit that I probably get a bit more fired up about the decorations and the music than your average 72 year old this time of year. I have tried to curb my urge to tune into the Hallmark Channel and have vowed to wait until the day after the turkey left overs are in the fridge. No decorations around our place until December 1st! Lots of activity takes place each year in the Harbor, with the nightly tree lightings on Waterfront Street and in the Gaylord Atrium, special offers on Capital Wheel rides, movies on the Plaza Screen and much more including this year’s ICE exhibit at the Gaylord. I had the pleasure of experiencing “The Polar Express” at a press event a week or so ago with our designer. It is spectacular this year. We went down the two story slide, did some ice tubing and snowball throwing as well. Something not to miss is the Cirque Dreams Holidaze performance taking place in the Theater at the MGM Grand. This performance runs on the 19th and 20th. For a full slate of events in the harbor and at the Wheel check out their website at nationalharbor.com and thecapitalwheel.com or follow them on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. We Bid a Fond Farewell to Bond 45 Saying a permanent goodbye to an old friend is never easy. And that’s just how I feel about the…
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