Annapolis Man Charged with Threatening to Open Fire in Library

Police say John Joseph Marchesikie, 73, claims to have been "just playing" when said he would "blow this place up."

Police charged a 73-year-old Annapolis man in connection with statements he made about opening fire inside the Annapolis Area Library. Officers entered the library at 1410 West St. around 10:30 a.m. on Thursday for a call of a dispute between a customer and a librarian. According to the police report, John Joseph Marchesikie of Annapolis told an officer: "I am going to get my shotgun and blow this place up." Library staff and customers backed away from Marchesikie, and three female staff members and several children started crying, police said. One woman reportedly needed medical attention after she started having breathing problems. When questioned by police, Marchesikie told officers that he was "just playing" because the female staff …

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Election Draws Steady Crowds in Annapolis

Lines often stretched outside of polling locations as voters huddled together in the chilly November air.

A steady stream of voters flowed through polling places around Annapolis with wait times averaging around 45 minutes on Tuesday. "Usually we get a good crowd at the beginning of the day, and then it slows down and picks back up at the usual times like lunch time and when people get off work," said Bob Bruce, an election judge at the Annapolis Area Library. "[This year] it seems steadier through the day." He and Joe Nasatka, an election judge at the Eastport Community Center, agreed that while most people came prepared for the six-page ballot, it was still taking longer than usual to get through. "Oh, it's incredibly longer because we've got so many questions to answer at the end," Nasatka said. "We could have used two more voting machines…

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Credit Union Wants to Build on Bestgate

The Navy Federal Credit union wants to expand its Annapolis presence by building a new location on Bestgate Road this fall.

The Navy Federal Credit Union plans to break ground on its fourth Annapolis location at 823 Bestgate Rd. this November. "The plan is about to be approved," said engineer Asko Miljkovic of Bohler Engineering, who was hired to help create the plans. "I would say by end of October we will have permit in hand." According to a public meeting notice, the credit union submitted plans to build a 10,500-square-foot building with five drive-through lanes. Miljkovic said construction should take about nine months. Navy Federal started in 1933 and has more than 4 million members nationwide, according to its website. Branches offer a wide range of services from checking accounts to mortgage loans. Before construction on the new location can begin, …

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Annapolis Rotary Club Raises $47K for Libraries

Anne Arundel County Public Library Foundation will use the donation to enhance play and learn stations for children.

The Rotary Club of Annapolis recently made a donation to enhance the offerings for children at local libraries. The Rotary Club presented the Anne Arundel County Public Library Foundation a check for $47,600 at its luncheon meeting on June 7.  The money came from the proceeds of the Rotary Club’s Black Tie and Diamonds Gala held on March 3. The foundation plans to use the proceeds to purchase child-oriented play and learn stations for library branches throughout the county as well as for other enhancements. A plaque honoring the Annapolis Rotary Club will hang in the Annapolis Area Library.

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Annapolis Educates Citizens About Raising Chickens

The city partnered with the Anne Arundel County Public Library to teach residents how to obtain a permit, build a coop and raise happy, healthy chickens.

Residents interested in raising chickens on their properties packed into a room at Annapolis Area Library Wednesday night to listen to an educational presentation put on by the city of Annapolis. Approximately 40 people filled nearly every available seat during the one-hour presentation. The four-member panel's topics ranged from how many eggs should a healthy chicken lay to how to build your coop so it meets City Ordinance 53-11. "Some chickens are known to be kind of mean," said panelist Elizabeth Elliot. "I've had Rhode Island Reds ... they are not very friendly chickens but they are great at producing eggs," Elliot said. "Some chickens like Brahmas are known to be very docile and good with children." The Anne Arundel County Public …

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Kids Enjoy 'One World, Many Storysongs'

Kidsinger Jim paid a visit to the Annapolis Area Library, and Patch was there to capture the event in photos.

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