Members of both the Emmitsburg Volunteer Ambulance Company (EVAC) and the Vigilant Hose Company (VHC) have begun to discuss how their respective emergency services roles might be improved by merging personnel, resources and facilities. This initiative is early in its consideration and will require research, on-going discussions and coordination among all stakeholders including the public,…

MAY 2017 Emmitsburg No Changes in Tax Rate Expected Emmitsburg Mayor Donald Briggs gave the town commissioners their first look at his proposed FY18 budget. The constant-yield rate as calculated by the State of Maryland will be 6 cents per $100 of assessed value. This is the rate that will bring in the same amount…

Thurmont Mayor John Kinnaird With summer just around the corner, you should be thinking about visiting the Thurmont Main Street Farmers Market on Saturday mornings, beginning June 3. There is always a great selection of seasonal fresh fruit and vegetables, meats, eggs, baked goods, hand-crafted items, and other treats! Live entertainment will be returning this…

Anita DiGregory On Sunday, May 7, 2017—despite the chilly temperatures, windy conditions, and occasional rain—approximately 1,800 people were in attendance to witness the third annual crowning of the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in Emmitsburg. The ceremony, which was preceded by Mass in the…

James Rada, Jr. When Luther Powell and his brothers attended the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, they saw a presentation about raising goldfish. Upon returning home, they realized that their farm had a good water supply, so they dug ponds and began a new business venture. The idea caught on with other farmers who…

Town of Thurmont commissioners Wayne Hooper and Marty Burnes (far left), and Wes Hamrick and Bill Buehrer (far right) are pictured with Mayor John Kinnaird and Taylor Huffman (center) during the grand opening of her Long & Foster office at 3 W. Main Street in Thurmont. Photo by Grace Eyler Long & Foster Real Estate…

James Rada, Jr. Emmitsburg now has a new place to visit where you can watch a magic show or buy a book. Magician Michael Cantori has opened Cantori’s Theatre of Magic at 24 West Main Street in Emmitsburg. “We’re going to have a performing space for parlor magic shows, which are smaller shows for groups…

James Rada, Jr. It’s been a while since Terry Miller visited his hometown, but Thurmont is never far from his thoughts. He will be in town at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 3, 2017, to sign copies of his book The Mountain Beyond and to take a walk down memory lane, at the Thurmont Visitors…

Deb Spalding Johnny S. Hollinger of Emmitsburg purchased a raffle ticket a few months ago from Lauri Harley at the Ott House Pub to support the Catoctin Safe and Sane Class of 2017. The Ott House often sells raffle tickets to help out various community groups, and Johnny often buys one or two to show…

This year, the fireworks at Emmitsburg Community Heritage Day are in honor of Robert “Reds” Hance, who passed away unexpectedly early this year. “Bob was such a proponent for Heritage Day and was such a leader in the community that the Lions, Heritage Day Committee, and community, felt it would be fitting to dedicate the…

James Rada, Jr. Kim Andrew of Emmitsburg was awakened one morning because the smell in her house was so foul. The smell wasn’t coming from anything in her house, though. It was coming from the wastewater treatment plant lagoon that the town rents to Enviro-Organic Technologies (EOT) during the winter. The lagoon had not been…

The view out of Rachel Mohler’s kitchen window is so picturesque that it should be a painting—in fact, it is a painting. Or, should we say, it is many paintings. Rachel has painted that ever-changing view nearly a hundred times since her resolution to complete a painting-a-day started on January 1, 2017. Her New Year’s…

Allison Rostad If you’ve ever been a part of a volunteer fire company, you’ve probably already experienced a banquet that seems more like a family get together. For the members of Graceham Volunteer Fire Company, this is nothing short of the truth. On Saturday, April 22, 2017, Graceham Volunteer Fire Company members gathered in their…

Theresa Dardanell The floor of the Sabillasville Elementary gym became the Atlantic Ocean—gymnastic mats were transformed into the Titanic, and ordinary physical education equipment turned into icebergs, lifeboats, and gear to get the students (passengers) to safety. That was only one of the exciting activities during STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) Night on…

The 2016-17 wrestling season was a difficult one for the Cougars.  Coach Green, now 144 wins and 99 losses in his ten-year career at Catoctin High School, compiled a 4 and 10 regular dual meet record and an overall season total of 6 and 23, not exactly the stellar returns that Catoctin wrestling fans have…

Charmane Nesbitt The Catoctin High School Cougars placed second in the State during the Interscholastic Unified Track and Field State High School Invitational in May.  All season, they worked hard preparing for this day. Heat results for the 100-meter run include: 1st place—Destiny Knestout, Max Bingman, Nathan Schwartzbeck; 2nd place—Savannah Smith-Sanchez; 3rd place—David Toddes. Placing…

by Anita DiGregory In Honor of Fathers On June 18, America will celebrate Father’s Day, a day devoted to our dedicated dads.  Although widely celebrated today, surprisingly, Father’s Day was not always embraced by society. In fact, it did not receive its designation as an official holiday until the early 20th century, when it was…

by Lisa C. Cantwell Dear Reader: This is a column to help you determine the history and value of your heirlooms, attic finds, flea market purchases, or antique items. Please send a picture and description of your piece, such as how you acquired it and any details about its history, to [email protected]. I’ll research any…

by Theresa Dardanell Emmitsburg Volunteer Ambulance Company One of the questions I asked the administrative members of the Emmitsburg Ambulance Company was, “Why do you volunteer?” Some of the responses were, “It lets me help other people,” “It gives me a great feeling,” and “Volunteering is in our blood.” There are currently sixty-two members that…

Human Nature by Valerie Nusbaum As a writer and an artist, I’m fascinated by humans. I tend to sit quietly and observe how people move and interact with each other.  I notice their bone structures and coloring, and I spend a lot of time pondering their actions. Why do people do and say the things…