Dorchester Star from Cambridge, Maryland • 6

By JOHN NUSSEAR Executive Director Dorchester Chamber The 2004 edition of Roll Maryland Business for Responsive Government (MBRG) provides detailed information on the voting patterns of Maryland lawmakers to the state and federal legislatures that should be of interest to business people in Dorchester and throughout the state. MBRG is a statewide, nonpartisan political research and education organization whose purpose is to inform business community, elected officials and the general public about the political and economic environment needed to foster development and job creation in Maryland. One of its services is to provide to business people the voting records of state and federal legislators so that the politicians can be held accountable for the economic well-being. Among some of the points made in this publication: Analysis of the voting records of Congressional delegation on business related legislation during the first half of the 108th Congress has resulted in tying with West Virginia at 45 ranking for the level of lawmaker support for business only four states rank lower than lawmakers for support to business. gulf between the business community and the legislature is greater in Maryland than any other according to Steven Fragapane, one of the foremost site location executives.

More than 50 percent of Maryland legislators have no identifiable private sector experience. Three of the four Maryland legislators (one senator and three delegates) who represent Dorchester County received very high ratings for their support of business related legislation for the state. Eight of the 10 legislators who represent Maryland at the federal level (two senators and six representatives) received a favorable rating of less than 27 percent. Maryland business people play a significant role in reelecting anti-business incumbents. The legislators who earned the lowest MBRG ratings received the largest amount of Business PAC contributions.

This improbable situation has caused Governor Robert Ehrlich to the business community for failing to leverage its and for its of and because they have to show a willingness to engage MBRG says that he (the governor) has issued a two-part challenge to Maryland business: 1. Get involved in the political game. 2. Stop the slavish financial support for anti-business legislators. For the details included in this edition of Roll Call persons can refer to a copy filed in the Chamber of Commerce office at 528 Poplar St.

in Cambridge. Upcoming events Nov. 23: Community to Community Exchange Dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Cambridge Yacht Club. Open to the public.

$10 per person. Foreign Service visitors from other countries will discuss their careers from 5 to 6:15 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:15 p.m. Speakers arranged through the Meridian Foreign Service Group. Call 410-2283575 to register. Nov.

25: Thanksgiving Day Community Dinner at Grace United Methodist Church starts at noon in the Baraca Room of Grace Church on Race Street in Cambridge. No charge for the meal. The entire community is invited. To help in any way, call Betsy Jones at 410-943-4581 or Grace Church at 410-228-4353. REGIONAL FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19,2004 A6 DORCHESTER STAR Friday Sunday Monday Call TODAY! 410.770.4005 Start my SUBSCRIPTION for The Star Weekend 13 weeks $13.

00 26 weeks $26. 00 52 weeks $52. 00 Mailing If Check VISA DISCOVER Credit Card MASTERCARD AM EXPRESS Exp. Mail to: The Star Democrat, PO Box 600, Easton, MD 21601 Dorchester County only. New subscribers only in our home delivery area.

Restrictions apply. Look in the SmartSource SM only be guaranteed in Home Delivery Issues. 40 Weekends in 2004 Save at supermarkets, drugstores and leading retailers! Only $1.00 Per Week Can Save You Hundreds EASTON CYCLE AND SPORT 723 Goldsborough Street Easton 410-822-7433 CAMBRIDGE CYCLE AND SPORT 109 East Cedar Street Cambridge 410-901-8380 SPINNING BIKES AIR DYNES TREADMILLS STATIONARY BIKES RECUMBENT STATIONARY BIKES AIR DYNES TREADMILLS ELLIPTICALS ELLIPTICALS STATIONARY BIKES SPINNING BIKE Come See Our New Fitness Showroom In Easton Now Open in Cambridge Shop locally in the Coming Soon! Days of Christmas Giveaway Gift Season Sales StartNow! off Outerwear off Footwear off Outerwear off Footwear Corner of Railroad Ave. N. Talbot St.

Michaels, MD 410-745-3107 OPEN SEVEN DAYS OBITUARIES NETWORKING More OBITUARIES, p.A8 Mary Louise Towers LINKWOOD Mary Louise C. Towers, 75, of Linkwood, passed away Friday, November 12, 2004, at the Dorchester General Hospital. She was born in Salem June 28, 1929, a daughter of the late Charles Raymond and Nina Creighton Coates. She attended schools in Vienna and Cambridge. In June 1948 she married S.

Roy Towers. For a number of years she worked with her husband, operating Place at Linkwood. Mr. Towers passed away on June 17, 1981. She later worked for the Perfect Garment Co.

in Secretary and also for Service America in the cafeteria at Airpax. She had retired when she was 62. She had been in failing health for six weeks and had been a patient at the Dorchester General Hospital, where she passed away on Friday morning, since late October. Mrs. Towers is survived by a daughter, Linda May Hoffman, and her husband, Robert Hoffman of Washington, Michigan; one son, Freddie R.

Towers, and his wife, Karen Towers, of Cambridge; four grandchildren Justina MacKool, Tara Hoffman, Erin Harley and Randy Collins, one brother, Raymond W. Coates of Linkwood; one sister, Bernice Carter of Reisterstown and several nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by a daughter, Jane Elaine Towers; a sister, Elizabeth Burton and three brothers James Coates, William Coates and Charles C. Coates. A funeral service was held Tuesday morning at the Thomas Funeral Home in Cambridge with the Rev.

Gary Crouch and the Rev. Chris Pennington officiating. Pallbearers were members of the Linkwood- Salem Volunteer Fire Co. Interment followed at the Maryland Veterans Cemetery of the Eastern Shore at Beulah. Memorial contributions may be made to the Linkwood Salem Volunteer Fire P.O.

Box 66, Linkwood, 21835. Edna E. Fluharty PRESTON Edna Elizabeth Fluharty of Preston died Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2004, at the Pines in Easton. She was 93.

She was born Feb. 17, 1911, in Hurlock, the daughter of the late John Albert Arnett and Emma Stokes Arnett. Mrs. Fluharty worked as a switchboard operator for Preston Trucking for 25 years. She was a member of Hurlock Wesleyan Church.

She is survived by a son, Robert Arnett Fluharty and wife, Diane, of Preston; four grandchildren John H. Fluharty Jr. of Annapolis, Jeffrey Fluharty of Preston, Terry Bronson of Annapolis and Kim Wheatley of Annapolis; 12 great-grandchildren; a great-great-granddaughter; a sister, Doris Flick of Silver Spring; a brother, Albert Arnett of Clearwater, a daughter-in-law, Doris Fluharty of Annapolis and several nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Elmer H. Fluharty; a son, John Herbert Fluharty; two brothers, Calvin Arnett and Lloyd Arnett and four sisters Mabel Anna Arnett, Margaret Ann Pennypacker, Frances Lord and Mary Evelyn Arnett.

Graveside services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, at Jr. Order Cemetery in Preston, with the Rev. Jo Ann Humler officiating.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Hurlock Wesleyan Church, Connie Floglesonger, 63 12 Burford Lane, Hurlock, 21643. The Zeller Funeral Home in East New Market is handling the arrangements. Cambridge Christmas ornaments enter the 20th and final edition The Cambridge Jaycees Christmas Ball project has made 20th and final edition this year with Cambridge artist Beebe Winterbottom creating scenes of the Goldsborough House and the Long Wharf fountain. It is a limited edition of 1,000 Christmas balls. The 2004 Christmas ball is white mist depicting the well preserved Goldsborough House located at 200 High St.

The Goldsborough House was built around 1790. The other side of the ornament depicts the Long Wharf fountain constructed of stone and dedicated to those who fought in the World War. Behind the fountain is the flag pole Christmas tree the Cambridge Jaycees created and have maintained during the holidays for many years. The ornaments are $10 this year. For information, call Roger Webster at 410-228-1454.

BeeBee Winterbottom, left, is the featured artist for the Cambridge 20th and final Christmas ball, with project co-chairman Jeanne Webster..