Garrett Island

The National Federation of the Blind had the money, and sightless climber Erik Weihenmayer had the guts. At 1 a.m. EDT Friday, he stood at 29,035 feet, atop Mount Everest, the first blind person to accomplish the feat. The NFB, headquartered in Baltimore, is planning a welcome-home party for Weihenmayer, one of just 1,000 climbers to conquer Everest, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. June 19. Eye disease took Weihenmayer's vision when he was a teen, but it hasn't clouded his "big-V" vision as he sets out each day to smash another stereotype.

Happy  Mother's Day  dear readers, If you are a mom or a grandmother, you hopefully will celebrate Sunday surrounded by loved ones. Mother's Day  is the single most popular day to dine out - how about a Havre de Grace restaurant - or make long-distance telephone calls. It is the third most popular holiday to send greeting cards. Anna Jarvis, a 45-year-old Philadelphian spinster and insurance clerk, was inspired to create Mother's Day after the death of her mother. With the financial backing by Philadelphia department store tycoon, John Wanamaker in 1907, Anna dedicated her life to fulfill her mother's dream of a national holiday to honor mothers everywhere.

A rocky, forested island in the mouth of the Susquehanna River that was bought nearly a year ago to spare it from development is back on the market, its owners say, because state and local officials have shown no interest in spending public funds to preserve it. The Cecil Land Trust, a local land-conservation group, patched together $750,000 in loans and investments last year to buy Garrett Island from a Pennsylvania developer. The developer had wanted to build a hotel and conference center there to take advantage of its panoramic view of the river and the upper Chesapeake Bay. Bill Kilby, a Cecil dairy farmer who heads the trust, said his group had wanted the 189-acre island to become a public park and an outdoors environmental classroom.

Fishing report The locations Piney Run: Tonight's another session of fishing until midnight at the park. The fee is $3 per boat plus the park entrance fee of $4 per carload. Top-water lures will attract bass, say Jim Gronaw and Loren Lustig at the park office. A deep-running, rattling crankbait cast along the edge of the hydrilla beds is another excellent choice. Work the tops of the beds with 9-inch, heavily scented rubber worms. Panfish are sitting 18-24 feet deep. Prettyboy Reservoir: Fish the humps, lumps, bumps and points, says guide Duke Nohe.