r/SOMD

Hey r/23andme!

As promised when our 23andMe research team published the St. Mary's City study in May, we have officially added 29 of the founding colonists of Maryland's first capital to the Historical Matches feature.

This year marks the 250th anniversary of the United States, and while Independence Day celebrates 1776, the story of English settlement in America began long before the Declaration of Independence. In 1634, the first colonists of Maryland stepped ashore at St. Mary's City, carrying with them hopes of religious freedom and a new life. 

Here's a quick recap of what the study found:

• More than 1.3 million 23andMe research participants share DNA with one or more of the 29 individuals we performed IBD analysis of in the study. The strongest genetic connections were to participants with ancestry from western England and Wales.
• Participants from Kentucky showed notably elevated genetic sharing with the St. Mary's individuals. This reflects the documented post-Revolutionary War migration of Maryland Catholics to that state, highlighting the power of our IBD-based approach to detect historical migrations throughout the United States.
• Among the 29 individuals now in the Historical Matches feature is a man who we tentatively identified as Leonard Greene, the son of Thomas Greene, Maryland's second governor. This was the first time ancient DNA was used to propose the identity of an unknown historical individual without any prior hypothesis about who they might be.
• We also confirmed the identities of Philip Calvert (Maryland's fifth governor), his first wife Anne Wolseley Calvert, and Philip Calvert's  infant son likely from his second marriage, all buried in lead coffins beneath the Brick Chapel floor.
• Researchers identified five additional family groups among the burials, including one spanning three generations — a grandmother and grandfather, their son, their son's wife, and the couple's daughter.

Full story on our blog: [Link]

👉 If you're a 23andMe+ Premium member, head to Historical Matches to check your results. And if you get a match, or if you just have thoughts on the study, we'd love to hear from you in the comments!

Hey. Im curious about the neighborhoods near pax base Southgate off of Forest Park rd.

Are they good neighborhoods? Looking into purchasing a home, figured id ask here.

Hello. I want to design a light rail system for Southern Maryland. I'm focusing on connecting people to where they shop to where they live while also focusing on building connections between neighborhoods. Where do you think would benefit the most from stations? I'm mainly focusing on neighborhoods, businesses, shopping centers, parks, etc.

Looking to rent a couple of kayaks and Id like to know about some good spots that may not be advertised online. I know ive seen kayak racks all over the place with rental signs but these seems to be private with no advertising. Whats the best spot within an hour of ST marys county, good location is paramount to price.

This interview is worth listening to in its entirety. It covers housing, education and employment in Southern Maryland.

https://www.youtube.com/live/K6I-LO4KOIg?is=4Pl5njCSUIzikVhb

Just a reminder: Calvert County successfully ousted all three of the sitting commissioners who tried to force data centers onto local residents. That is something to be proud of! While these data centers might still be built, the community sent a clear message: we will not be held hostage by a corrupt local government.

St Mary’s County! Looking to get a sizable group of people together to watch the game at the slice house in Leonardtown.

I spoke with the owners son and he said they will stay open later if we can get a good amount of people to come and watch.

Also if anyone knows of any soccer groups on Facebook or anything please let me tell me.

Hi yall! We’re looking to rent in Calvert County, preferably in the Lusby area. What are your thoughts on schools (specifically elementary schools and their programs), the rental processes and even your neighbors? Excited to see you soon!

This is a real offer. The city has ignored this pothole for years. They know about it. It is insanely annoying. They will never fix it but if someone paints a dick on it they will have to. Shangri-La just north of the Great Mills rd intersection. Venmo upon photographic proof. Bonus for creativity and artistic merit.

Ok my question to everyone here is which reasturaunt has the most authentic mexican food? My my vote is Mexico in dunkirk but would like to hear more. Please NOT TEX MEX. If they dont serve lengua or pozole or mole or Barbados they probably won't make it.

Also fully open to any suggestion that is not american or an americanized cultures food from all countries. (Must be in somd)

Primaries matter; the best way to let your party know you want change!

The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs have built a reputation around supporting the local community and creating opportunities for local students.

Unfortunately, what I witnessed this season didn’t match that message.

The organization hosted a community hiring event that was promoted to local high schools. Students and returning employees were encouraged to apply, believing they had a fair opportunity to earn a position and work throughout the season. Many long-time employees returned expecting the same opportunity they had earned through years of reliable service.

Instead, many experienced workers saw their hours disappear while new hires with personal relationships to those responsible for hiring and scheduling appeared to receive the majority of available shifts. At the same time, employees were repeatedly told there simply weren’t enough hours because business was slow.

If hours are scarce, they should be distributed fairly and based on objective factors—not in a way that creates the appearance that personal relationships influence scheduling decisions.
Whether or not favoritism was intended, the appearance of favoritism is damaging enough. When family members or close personal connections of hiring managers consistently receive the most opportunities while experienced employees lose hours, people naturally begin to question whether everyone is truly being given an equal chance.

This isn’t a criticism of the front office staff as a whole. It’s a concern about who is entrusted with hiring and scheduling decisions. Leadership should recognize that these positions require impartiality, transparency, and accountability. When employees lose confidence that decisions are being made fairly, morale suffers, dedicated workers leave, and the organization’s reputation in the community begins to erode.

The biggest disappointment is what this communicated to the students who attended the hiring event. They invested their time because they believed there was a genuine opportunity. If community hiring events don’t provide a level playing field, then they risk becoming more about appearances than about serving the community.
The Blue Crabs have the ability to do better. That starts by ensuring hiring and scheduling decisions are transparent, consistent, and free from even the appearance of favoritism. Long-time employees, new applicants, and local students all deserve confidence that opportunities are earned—not perceived to be influenced by personal relationships.

Does anyone here have a connect who has horse manure they're willing to sell? Preferably in St. Mary's but willing to drive. Thanks

Hey everyone, we're trying to plan a weekend trip and are looking for a cabin within about two hours of St. Mary’s County. We’d really like something with a rustic feel, access to a creek, lake, or river, and some decent hiking nearby. We’re trying to ease our daughter into camping, so we’re not looking for tent sites yet. A simple cabin or glamping setup would be perfect.

Also, for future adults only trips, what are some good remote camping areas within a couple hours that aren’t Shenandoah? We’d love someplace where you can really get away from people for a few days and not feel like you’re packed into a campground with everyone else. Seclusion is definitely more important to us than amenities.