Arundel Digest

Fundraiser to be held for injured boy

Austin Valdez, 12, was injured while cutting down a tree on April 14 and spent weeks in Johns Hopkins Children's Center.

His father, Al Valdez, is a regular at Stan and Joe's and the bar, compelled to do something to help the family through a tough time, offered to host the event.

Other regular customers would ask about Austin's condition just about every day, and employees gathered updates on how he was doing.

The event will include a silent auction of gifts donated by local businesses, friends and families and bar regulars. There will also be a 50/50 raffle.

The bar also is offering half-priced drinks until 7 p.m. and other drink and food specials after that. The band East is East also will be playing at 9 p.m.

Thousands without power last night

Cape St. Claire - A downed wire knocked out power for 6,000 county residents last night.

The wire fell at 11:18 p.m. and caused power outages in the Cape St. Claire area, said Linda Foy, a spokesman for BGE. The power was restored by 2:30 a.m.

It is unclear what caused the wire to fall, Ms. Foy said.

Local groups earn honor for tree work

Four local organizations have been honored for their efforts to care for trees with the annual PLANT Awards.

PLANT stands for People Loving and Nurturing Trees and is run by the state Department of Natural Resources and the Maryland Forestry Board Foundation.

Awards are given at four levels - bronze, silver, gold and green - for communities or institutions that undertake tree-related activities, such as tree plantings, education, creating tree inventories or completing beautification projects with trees.

Local winners of the 2007 PLANT Awards include:

City of Annapolis - green.

Anne Arundel Community College - green.

Chesapeake Ecology Center in Annapolis - green.

North Glen Elementary School in Glen Burnie - silver.

Statewide, there were 125 honorees, including 44 groups that earned green-level recognition, which is the highest of the four levels.

To apply for the 2008 PLANT Awards, visit www.dnr.state.md.us/forests/programs/plantinfo.html or contact Terry Galloway at tgalloway@dnr.state.md.us or 410-260-8510. The deadline is Dec. 15.

Health fair set for this weekend

Severna Park - County residents can receive health screenings or participate in a fitness walk at the annual Health and Wellness Fair this weekend.

This is the fifth year for the event, which will be held 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at Severna Park High School, 60 Robinson Road.

Anne Arundel Medical Center and Baltimore Washington Medical Center officials will be on hand to provide wellness information and literature.

Exhibitors will be on hand to provide acupuncture and massage.

The new feature this year is the 5K run, which starts at 8 a.m.

For more information, call 410-222-5221.

- From staff reports