From the monthly archives: "December 2021"

Thurmont gets Frederick County’s first transloading facility

By On · Add Comment · In Featured Articles

The railroad put Thurmont on the map and gave the town its name. When the golden age of rail travel passed, Thurmont eventually lost its rail service.

“I remember when the trains started slowing down, and then one day, there were no trains,” Mayor John Kinnaird said at the grand opening of Maryland Transload Logistics (MTL).

MTL plans to reinvigorate Thurmont’s relationship with the railroad. The company, which is located on Poplar Avenue in Thurmont will act as a transfer facility. Goods will arrive at MTL via train. They will be transferred to trucks that will then deliver the goods to the high-traffic areas of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The process will also work in reverse with trucks delivering goods to be loaded onto trains.

Transloading offers companies cheaper transportation costs for construction materials, bulk products, and household items. By making use of rail transportation, more products can be shipped at a lower cost. It saves on fuel and maintenance for trucks and bypasses toll roads and load fees.

“Things ship cheaper via rail, but not everybody has access to rail,” Scott Austin, owner of MTL said.

He got the idea for business eight years ago and has been working since then to turn 20 acres in the Thurmont Industrial Park into the transloading site. It required a spur line from the railroad as well as other construction. The location offers trucks quick access to Route 15, which then allows them ready access to major interstates.

The grand opening was held on December 2, 2021, with local and state officials in attendance as well as representatives from Genessee Wyoming Railroad, CSX Railroad, and Georgia Pacific Lumber.

Joe Arbona, assistant vice president of government affairs for Genesee & Wyoming Railroad said, “A railroad can move a ton of freight 480 miles on one gallon of fuel. One train of 100 cars can take around 280 trucks off tax-supported roads.”

Austin said the Thurmont community has been welcoming of the project, and Kinnaird agreed. “The more trains I hear coming by here, I think it’s better for all of us and for the economy, especially for the town of Thurmont.”

MTL is the first transloading facility in Frederick County and also the first such facility in Maryland not operated by a railroad.

Tamar Osterman, with the Maryland Department of Commerce for Frederick and Carroll counties, said she and others in her department have a different name for MTL. “We decided this is Maryland’s new inland port. This is really the heart of what economic development is all about.”

Shipments to and from MTL are expected to begin early this year, and with it, a number of new jobs will be created to spur the local economy. Austin is also already working on plans for how to expand the business.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of a new Maryland Transload Logistics facility in Thurmont was held December 2 at the Maryland Transload Logistics, LLC headquarters on Poplar Avenue.

Frederick Health Partners with Mount St. Mary’s University on New Healthcare Facility

By On · Add Comment · In Featured Articles

Frederick Health, the largest healthcare provider in Frederick County, is pleased to announce the groundbreaking of a new, top-of-the-line facility in Emmitsburg. This facility—which will be built and operated in partnership with Mount St. Mary’s University—will provide award-winning local care to residents of the area, as well as staff and students of the university.

This facility will offer a wide range of healthcare services, focusing on prevention, treatment, and the overall wellness of the community. Urgent care, primary care, lab, imaging/X-ray, and other important medical services will be offered once the facility opens next year.

The development and construction of this facility will continue to improve access to quality care in the northern parts of Frederick County.

 “The construction of the new Emmitsburg facility is yet another way of increasing access to the award-winning care provided by Frederick Health. These kinds of improvements help our neighbors and community grow healthier together,” said Tom Kleinhanzl, president and CEO of Frederick Health.

The facility, which broke ground in October 2021, is expected to open to the public in the middle of 2022. It will be the 23rd facility within Frederick Health’s expanding network. Currently, the healthcare system includes Frederick Health Hospital, Frederick Health Medical Group, Frederick Health Employer Solutions, Frederick Health Home Care, and Frederick Health Hospice. The healthcare system also has more than 100 providers, 17 specialties, and multiple locations across the county. The system has several ambulatory-care locations, the freestanding James M. Stockman Cancer Institute, two urgent care locations, and the Frederick Health Village.

“Bringing care to residents of the northern part of Frederick County is extremely important. As our county continues to grow, we must ensure that all Frederick County residents can receive quality medical treatment,” added Kleinhanzl.

Frederick Health was pleased to partner with an institution with nearly 215 years of history in the community. Under this partnership, Mount St. Mary’s University graciously donated the land upon which the facility will be built. This facility, which will be open to the general public and operated by Frederick Health, will also serve as the university’s new student health center.

Mount St. Mary’s first entered into a strategic healthcare partnership with Frederick Health in 2018, allowing for expansion and improvement of health and wellness services for students and student-athletes. Since that time, the two organizations have worked to strengthen their partnerships, with the goal of bettering healthcare access to the community.

“We have been very pleased with our partnership, which has become even stronger during the pandemic and was a major factor in our ability to have students living and learning on campus last year,” said Mount St. Mary’s President Timothy E. Trainor, Ph.D.

University leadership echoed the benefit of expanded services to the northern part of Frederick County.

“As part of our commitment to our students’ and the local community’s health and well-being, the partnership has evolved to further improve services to our students and help bring needed healthcare services to Northern Frederick through this healthcare facility,” stated Trainor.

With over 3,300 employees, Frederick Health provides a full spectrum of healthcare and wellness services to support its mission to positively impact the well-being of every individual in our community.

Everything You Never Knew About Skateboarding

By On · Add Comment · In Featured Articles

Part Two

Terry Pryor

In the 1990s, the United States Marine Corps tested the usefulness of commercial off-the-shelf skateboards during urban combat military exercises in a program called Urban Warrior ‘99. Their special purpose was “for maneuvering inside buildings in order to detect tripwires and sniper fire.”

Yes, size matters. Most boards are about 7¼ to 8 inches wide and 30 to 32 inches long. The wheels are made of an extremely hard polyurethane, with hardness durometer approximately 99A. The wheel sizes are relatively small so that the boards are lighter and the wheels’ inertia is overcome quicker, thus making tricks more manageable. Board styles have changed dramatically since the 1970s, but have remained mostly alike since the mid-1990s. The contemporary shape of the skateboard is derived from the freestyle boards of the 1980s, with a largely symmetrical shape and relatively narrow width. This form had become standard by the mid-1990s.

By 2001, skateboarding had gained so much popularity that more American people under the age of 18 rode skateboards (10.6 million) than played baseball (8.2 million), although traditional organized team sports still dominated youth programs overall. Skateboarding and skateparks began to be viewed and used in a variety of new ways to complement academic lessons in schools, including new non-traditional physical education skateboarding programs, like Skatepass, to encourage kids to have better attendance, self-discipline, and confidence. This was also based on the healthy physical opportunities skateboarding was understood to bring participants for muscle and bone strengthening and balance, as well as the positive impacts it can have on youth in teaching them mutual respect, social networking, artistic expression, and an appreciation of the environment.

In 2003, Go Skateboarding Day was founded in southern California by the International Association of Skateboard Companies (IASC) to promote skateboarding throughout the world. It is celebrated annually on June 21 “to define skateboarding as the rebellious, creative celebration of independence it continues to be.” According to the market research firm, American Sports Data, the number of skateboarders worldwide increased by more than a whopping 60 percent between 1999 and 2002—from 7.8 million to 12.5 million.

Many cities also began implementing recreation plans and statutes during this time period, as part of their vision for local parks and communities to make public lands more available, in particular, for skateboarding, inviting skateboarders to come in off the city streets and into organized skateboarding activity areas. By 2006, there were over 2,400 skateparks worldwide and the design of skateparks themselves had made a transition, as skaters turned designers. Many new places to skateboard designed specifically for street skaters allowed for the creation of smaller alternative safe skate plazas to be built at a lower cost. One of the largest locations ever built to skateboard in the world, SMP Skatepark in China, at 13,700 square meters in size, was built, complete with a 5,000-seat stadium.

In the most recent year, efforts have been taken to improve recognition of the cultural heritage, as well as the positive effects of encouraging skateboarding within designated spaces. In 2015, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., hosted an event at which skateboarders, accompanied by music, did tricks on a ramp constructed for a festival of American Culture. The event was the climax of a 10-day project that transformed a federal institution formerly off-limits to the skateboarding community into a platform for that community to show its relevance through shared cultural action in a cultural common space.

Sidewalk surfing is now an Olympic sport. It made its Olympics debut at the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, with both men’s and women’s events.

One of the earliest sponsored skateboarders, Patti McGee, was paid by Hobie and Vita Pak to travel around the country to do skateboarding exhibitions and to demonstrate skateboarding safety tips. McGee made the cover of Life magazine in 1965 and was featured on several popular television programs

SMP Skatepark in China

The SMP Skatepark, which allows skateboards and bikes, is located in the Fudan Wangxi Botanical Garden in Shanghai and is known as the world’s largest skatepark. It has 13,700 square meters that will overwhelm any rider. It’s full of ramps, rails, stairs, ledges, and bowls, many of which have amazing oververts.

Note: An array of videos are available via YouTube, including some incredible skateboard tricks at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

some of the most common skateboarding terms, expressions, and meanings

Axle: the metal rod running through the skateboard truck’s hanger, on which the wheels are mounted

Bank: an elevated, sloped, under 90-degree surface or area, used to ride skateboards up and down, performing tricks

Boned: a mid-air move in which the skater pushes the board out in front and points it downward

Coping: the metal pipe or edging fitted to the lip of a ramp or halfpipe

Drop-In: a way of entering a bowl or halfpipe from the top

Grind: a trick which involves scraping the skateboard’s trucks along an object

Kick Turn: to turn your board by shifting the weight to the tail of the board and twisting

Lip: the top edge of a bowl or ramp

Nosegrab: to grab the nose (front) of the skateboard with the leading hand

Pumping: moving your bodyweight on skateboard to build speed without your feet touching the ground

Poser: a skater that tries to pretend to be what he or she isn’t

Regular Footer: a skater that rides with the left foot forward

Sidewalk Surfing: another term for skateboarding

Sk8: one of the most popular abbreviations for a skate

Sketchy: a not perfect or poorly executed trick

Technical (Tech): a skateboarding style that involves highly complex freestyle tricks and maneuvers performed on flat surfaces

Tic Tac: a series of short kickturns performed in a row. It can give a boarder the momentum needed to travel across a flat area

Truck: the metal attachment bolted to the deck which connects the axle and wheels to the deck

Wipe Out: to fall off the skateboard

Everything You Never Knew About Skateboarding

From the Mayor

By On · Add Comment · In Featured Articles

Emmitsburg

Mayor Don Briggs

Lots of things to unwrap in our town Christmas stocking for 2022. To add to the Christmas decorations adorning the square are the new façade improvements on the building on the northwest corner. From the impetus of becoming a state-recognized sustainable community leading to downtown upgrades, now the properties on three corners of the square have benefitted from grants offered through the town.

The construction work along Irishtown Road (I know, I am tired of talking about it, too) is moving closer to completion. On more than one occasion, the contractor has said the delays have been because of the opacity of the rock. The impermeable nature, the igneous rock family, of the rock bed along Irishtown Road has caused the installation challenges of water and sewer lines. This groundwork could not be accomplished through dynamiting but only by more tedious labor-intensive drilling. 

The Boys and Girls Club after-school program has grown its student body. This is a much-needed program for the community. There have been discussions about providing a before-school program if it can find the volunteers.    

The long-awaited Rutter’s store is moving along to a now-scheduled completion and opening in late summer 2022.

Federal Stone, which is relocating to Emmitsburg, is still planning for groundbreaking spring 2022 off Creamery Road east of U.S. 15 for their new home, a 50,000 sq. ft. office-warehouse.

The repairs to Brookfield Drive caused by construction traffic are scheduled to be completed in spring 2022. There is the possibility for the development of the Emmit Ridge II single-family subdivision off Irishtown Road. The development process could begin in spring 2022. With the development will come the long-awaited second entrance into Northgate.

In a town December podcast, Mount President Tim Trainor confirmed that the Mount, in partnership with the Daughters of Charity, will open a Professional Health Graduate School in town. The school will occupy a two-story wing of the Basilica. The initial focus of program offerings will be a graduate Physician Assistant degree. The first class of 40 students is planned for September 2023. Other graduate programs planned for later include one for applied behavior analysis and another for athletic training, and the possibility for several more.

The Frederick Health and Mount St. Mary’s Partnership medical facility is now under construction and planned to open in the summer of 2023. The facility services will be available to the entire community.

Major infrastructure projects continue with a pump station upgrade $1,000,000+/-, water clarifier $800,000+/-, and DePaul Street water line $1,000,000+/- scheduled for 2022.

Wonderful to have a town Christmas tree lighting again. Holding to the tradition of the first Monday evening of December in front of the community center, defiant to and humbled by a winter mix, those in attendance stood their ground to join the caroling offered by the raised voices of the Christ’s Community Church children’s choir and music of the Mount St. Mary’s flute ensemble. From there, a short scamper walk to the Carriage House Inn for Christmas music, free hot dogs, cookies, hot chocolate, hayrides, and meeting Santa. Thank you.

Even with COVID-19 out there, we will move forward to add to our wonderful life here. Happy New Year.

Thurmont

 Mayor John Kinnaird

Happy New Year! I hope that 2022 brings everyone some relief from the last two years of uncertainty and worry. COVID-19 continues to cause widespread sickness, and I recommend that everyone get a vaccination or the booster if they can. The Frederick County Health Department offers free testing, vaccinations, and boosters at several locations throughout the county. A list of locations and times is updated regularly at this web address: https://health.frederickcountymd.gov/629/COVID-19-Vaccine.

The Town of Thurmont fiscal year begins on July 1 each year, and with the arrival of January 1, we find ourselves halfway through the 2021-2022 Fiscal Year. I am happy to report that Thurmont is in sound fiscal health. We are on track with our budget projections, and the next two quarters should be as on-target as the first two.

The town recently received the results of our 2020-2021 audit by Zelenkofske Axelrod LLC, Certified Public Accountants. The audit found no issues with our bookkeeping, accounting practices, and record keeping. I credit our accounting staff and CFO Linda Joyce for this clean audit. Due to the diligence and hard work of the accounting staff, all the financial records are held to the highest standards of Governmental Best Accounting Practices. 

I know we have not seen any snow yet, but we all know it is coming. Please drive carefully on our streets when we are experiencing snow or ice. Our snow crew is made up of workers from all of our departments, and they are always at the ready to tackle any snow event.

When it does snow, please keep the following thoughts in mind. If you can, please park your vehicles in your driveway to keep the streets clear for the plows. Streets with no cars can be plowed to the curb and will be passable as opposed to streets with cars parked on the curb. Be sure to leave the snow at the ends of your driveway until after our plows have completed their work. It can be aggravating for residents when the snowplow comes back around and plows your driveway shut. I experience this issue with my sidewalk every year! Speaking of sidewalks, snow must be removed from all sidewalks within 24 hours of the cessation of any fall of snow, sleet, or freezing rain, or within 36 hours when the accumulation exceeds eight inches. The owner, tenant, occupant, lessee, or person responsible for a lot or part of a lot abutting a paved sidewalk shall remove or cause to be removed any snow and/or ice from the abutting sidewalk for a width of three feet, or the width of the sidewalk, whichever is less. These regulations can be found in Thurmont Code, Chapter 84 Property Maintenance, http://thurmont.com/DocumentCenter/View/1827/Chapter-84—Property-Maintenance-2020.

The year 2022 will see some much-needed water and sewer infrastructure projects, including the replacement of mains and laterals on North Church Street. We expect to start the bidding process for this project in the early spring. There will be work on several stormwater basins on Frederick Road and some upgrades to our high-pressure water system. Improvements are on the way to several parks through Project Open Space Funding, and a new softball field is in the works for the East End Park.

The Planning and Zoning Commission is still working on the Master Plan and Comprehensive Zoning updates. If you are interested in this process, please keep an eye on the P&Z Agenda published available on the town website in advance of their monthly meeting. Due to a large amount of project review, the month of January will have two P&Z meetings.

Please contact me at 301-606-9458 or by email at jkinnaird@thurmont.com with any questions, comments, or suggestions.

Town Hall Reports

By On · Add Comment · In Featured Articles

by James Rada, Jr.

Thurmont

Commissioners May Adjust Colorfest Fees

The Thurmont Mayor and Commissioners reviewed the costs and revenues the town incurred during the 2021 Colorfest. The town had $25,707 deficit, which was the greatest loss since 2014. The town works to balance the income it receives from permits and fines against the costs of signs, security, labor, sanitation, and transportation. Since these numbers can’t be projected accurately, these numbers can vary greatly, but the amount of the deficit seems to have surprised the commissioners. A large contributor to the revenues was that there was a significant decrease in vendors. Surprisingly, various speakers told the commissioners that COVID seemed to have little direct impact on the numbers. Other health issues among vendors, vendors going out of business, and making other plans for that weekend were mentioned.

Commissioner Bill Blakeslee suggested increasing the fee that the town receives from each parked car from $2.00 to $4.00 and raising the parking cost from $10.00 to $15.00 a vehicle. This would allow the town to receive, perhaps, another $18,000 while not costing the vendors more of their profit.

They also will adjust some of the costs to see what money can be saved there. They plan to re-examine the issue later this month.

Stormwater Ordinance Introduced

The Thurmont Mayor and Board of Commissioners introduced a stormwater management ordinance required by the Maryland Department of the Environment. Much of the discussion around the proposed ordinance centered around what sorts of discharges were illegal and what enforcement authority the town had, such as entering and examining private property.

Town Receives a Clean Audit & Gateway to the Cure Donation

Mike Samson with Zlenkofske Axelrod, LLC, presented the results of the annual independent audit of Thurmont’s financial statements for Fiscal Year 2021. He gave the town an unmodified or clean opinion, which is the highest rating that can be given. The auditors had no difficulties performing the audit nor had any disagreements with the management.

Economic Development Manager Vickie Grinder recently told the Thurmont Mayor and Commissioners about the town’s 8th Annual Gateway to the Cure efforts. This year’s events pushed the amount of Thurmont’s donations to the Patty Hurwitz Breast Cancer Fund to over $100,000. The 2021 donation was $18,000. The money will stay within Frederick County and go toward direct patient care.

“I brag about you everywhere. I tell everyone what a great town you are and how supportive you have been to our efforts, and we just appreciate it very much,” Hurwitz said.

Emmitsburg

Town Will Conduct a Connection Fee and Rate Study

The USDA told the Town of Emmitsburg that its current rates for water and sewer don’t appear to be enough to sustain the projected growth and maintenance on the system. Most municipalities will update their rates every three to five years. Yet, it has been at least 15 years since Emmitsburg conducted a rate study. The Emmitsburg Board of Commissioners approved a bid of $35,000 to have NewGen Strategies & Solutions in Annapolis conduct a study of the town’s water rates, sewer rates, and connection fees. Although not the lowest bid, NewGen had excellent references and extensive local experience.

Town Receives a Clean Audit

Michelle Mills, CPA with Deleon and Stang presented the results of the annual independent audit of Emmitsburg’s financial statements for Fiscal Year 2021. She gave the town an unmodified or clean opinion, which is the highest rating that can be given. The auditors had no difficulties performing the audit or had any disagreements with the management.

Board of Appeals Appointments

The Emmitsburg Board of Commissioners accepted the resignation of Ronald Lind from the Board of Appeals, effective October 12, 2021. They also appointed Levi Esses as a regular member to the Board of Appeals for a term to run from December 7, 2021, to February 17, 2023, and appointed Scott Frager an alternate to the Board of Appeals for a term to run December 7, 2021, to January 11, 2024.

Town Sets Price for 303 West Lincoln Avenue

Having declared that 303 West Lincoln Avenue has no public use, the Emmitsburg Board of Commissioners had the property appraised. The recommended listing price for the property is $625,000. The town is expected to negotiate first with the current building occupants, Christ Community Church, to sell the property. If an agreement can’t be reached or the church is not interested in continuing to use the property, it will be placed on the market.

From the Burgess

By On · Add Comment · In Featured Articles

Woodsboro

Burgess Heath Barnes

My hope is that each of you had a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday.

December 4 and 5 was an exciting weekend in Woodsboro with the annual Holiday Bazaar at the Woodsboro Lutheran Church on December 4, and a visit from Santa on December 5. Santa made his rounds all over the Town of Woodsboro on one of the town’s fire trucks. Residents old and young enjoyed seeing Santa in town.

At the December 14th town meeting, several items were voted on and passed by the council regarding American Rescue Plan funds that the town received. The funds will be used to repair and/or replace several aging water and sewage infrastructure projects that have been needed for a while now. The council also voted on purchasing a new tractor for the town, in addition to setting back an amount of money for grants to help businesses in town that were affected by COVID-19. There will be more details coming on the grant application process for businesses soon.

The town filled the planning and zoning committee at the meeting. The committee will now consist of the council liaison Jesse Case and current members Earl Powell and Jeff Crum.  J.R. Delauter, Carol Tressler, and alternate Bill Rittelmeyer were voted in by the council and will join the committee to make up the committee of six. Thank you to all who have stepped up to serve the town. The board of appeals committee is still looking for one member to complete it. If you would be interested in volunteering your time and live within the town limits, please attend a meeting or reach out to me or the town office to express your interest in the open committee position.

I would also encourage everyone to support Glade Valley Community Services (GVCS) Holiday Toy Shoppe toy collection to make sure children in our community have a toy under the tree. For more information, please contact GVCS by email at gvcs.inc@verizon.net or call 301-845-0213.

I would like to wish each a Blessed New Year. After the last two years and what everyone has been through, let’s hope and pray that 2022 is a much better year for all.

If you have any questions, concerns, complaints, or compliments, please feel free to reach out to me at hbarnes@woodsboro.org or by phone at 301-401-7164.

Woodsboro Town meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. The current location for meetings is the St. Johns United Church of Christ, located at 8 N. 2nd Street in Woodsboro. The public is always invited to attend.

Beard’s Trash Provides 50 Years of Service

By On · Add Comment · In Business News

Blair Garrett

From humble beginnings to a 50-year business, Beard’s Trash Service in Thurmont celebrates a huge milestone.

The desire to make a successful business that your family can inherit is not uncommon. However, the ability to make it a reality is a whole different story.

Beard’s Trash Service is a family-owned business that epitomizes what it means to be hard-working, along with putting in the hours necessary to be successful.

Richard, Pam, and Luke Beard still run the day-to-day operations for Beard’s Trash, but it’s hard to forget their roots in the company.

“My mother-in-law, Ada Beard, started the company in 1972,” owner Pam Beard said. “She started it in a Ford F-150 pickup with wood sides.”

Starting off by herself, she soon needed help with the growing clientele base.

“She would pick up household trash, pick up papers, and all that for $3.00 a month,” Pam said. “She eventually started getting a lot more customers, so my husband started helping her on weekends.”

The world has changed a lot since 1972, but Beard’s Trash Service’s quality service is still a staple of the business.

Beard’s has seen significant growth from its Ford F-150 days, with a much-expanded team that still provides the same person-to-person service.

“Now we have three big garbage trucks, three employees on the trucks, and three people in the office,” Pam said.

The crew runs the routes solo and covers a tremendous area several times a week.

“We run the majority of Frederick County, and we run Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday,” Pam explained. “We help over 3,000 customers and have over 200 dumpsters we service in Frederick County.”

The hours are long, but sometimes that’s what it takes to push a family business to the next level. “They start running at 1:00 a.m. and pick up for residences and dumpsters until 1:00 or 2:00 in the afternoon,” Pam said.

It’s been a remarkable 50 years for the company, and the community support has kept them going for the past five decades.

“We just want to thank all our loyal customers who have been with us for years,” Richard said.

Local businesses have a way of giving back to the community in a way that huge corporations just can’t match. When customers keep supporting a business run by a family that lives within that community, a huge portion of their profits are re-invested back into that area. A community thrives when everyone succeeds.

Five decades of providing local trash pickup service is impressive, and Beard’s Trash Service keeping the business in the family for so long holds significant value to them.

“It means a lot to be around 50 years because it’s spanned three generations,” Pam said. “My mother-in-law started it, and then my husband has worked there for years, and then once he retires, my son will be taking it all over.”

There’s something special about passing your business down to your children, knowing they will keep it going with the same care and attention that was given to it when it was started.

The Beards are proud of their milestone, but Pam’s message to the community remains the same. “If anyone wants good family service, give us a call.”

Richard Beard and his son, Luke Beard, proudly show their American spirit with their newest truck and logo. You can’t miss a Beard’s Trash truck! Courtesy Photo

Catoctin High School Recognizes Its Distinguished Alumni

By On · Add Comment · In Business News, School News

James Rada, Jr.

Catoctin High School (CHS) recognized its graduates who have gone on to find success post-high school during its 6th Annual Distinguished Graduates Induction Ceremony in November 2021.

Principal Jennifer Clements told the audience, “Catoctin High School is a place of deep roots and strong traditions. Our history is so rich because of the incredible staff and students who have walked these halls, making a positive impact on our school and our community.”

It is that tradition and those people that the school celebrates with its Distinguished Graduate Program. The Catoctin High School Distinguished Graduate Organization was formed in 2015 to honor alumni in the areas of academics, arts and humanities, athletics, business, and public service.

The 2021 program recognized alumni from the arts and humanities, academics, and public service sectors. It also recognized two former CHS staff members.

Former teacher, John Koepke, taught, coached, and advised students at CHS for 35 years. During the program, he passed on some advice from his father to the students in attendance. “Life is full of cool moments. Enjoy the cool moments.”

He also shared some advice from Dr. Jack Graham, a Texas pastor, and it was to PACE yourself through life. However, Koepke added his own words for the acronym.

Patience helps peace.

Acceptance helps attitude.

Confidence helps commitment.

Embrace encouragement.

Rebecca Chaney, Class of 1982, was the arts and entertainment inductee. She is an author, speaker, and livestock and dairy judging coach. Her twin daughters, Sheridan and Rianna Chaney, who are seniors at CHS introduced their mother.

“You need to remember to dream big,” Cheney told the students. “Never waver from your dream and goals. With hard work and determination, you can achieve incredible things in this life.”

Brian Haines, Class of 2000, was the academics inductee. He is currently an assistant principal scientist at Merck, working in regulatory affairs.

He told the students not to give up on their goals. However, you need to work to make them happen. “Dig in just a little harder and not give up after setting a goal,” Haines said.

Maria Smaldone, Class of 2010, was the public service inductee. Her professional career has been spent in social work, and she is currently the senior neighborhood resource coordinator at Neighborhood Housing Services in Baltimore. Her sister, Raphaela Smaldone, a CHS senior, introduced her.

She said, “My normal is probably not your normal…considering someone’s context (their normal) is critical to understanding their thoughts, their feelings, and their motivations.” She added that this understanding will help bridge “trust gaps” between people of different backgrounds. She urged the students to get to know someone with a different normal and listen to them and learn from them.

She also told students not to, “pigeonhole yourself too soon into what you think you’re good at or what you think is good for you. There are so many other things out there, and you are capable of so many other things than you can give yourself credit for.”

Curtis Howser, a former industrial arts teacher and school counselor for 44 years, was another former CHS staff inductee. He served as a counselor at CHS for 18 years.

He said. “Be part of the solution rather than someone who just talks about it.”

Pictured from left are: (standing) Curtis Howser, John Koepke, and Bryan Haines; (seated) Maria Smaldone and Rebecca Chaney.

Photo by James Rada, Jr.

Vigilant Hose Company Pays Off Over $1.3 Million Debt

By On · Add Comment · In Community News

At the October 2021 monthly meeting of the Vigilant Hose Company, the membership voted upon a recommendation from the organization’s board of directors to pay off the remaining mortgage on the fire station, located at 25 W. Main Street, and the balance remaining on the loan for its recently purchased Engine 61. The total debt removed from its books was over $1.3 million dollars.

The ability to achieve this reduction in service debt is directly related to the unbelievable support of the community they service on a daily basis and the excellent planning and fiscal stewardship managed by its board of directors through its planning committee members. It also illustrates the hard work and dedication of the membership in support of the fundraising efforts of the organization.

During the pandemic, the organization has had to come up with some unique and “outside the box” fundraising ideas, several of which have become substantial money-making projects for them. They also understand how the community enjoys Vigilant Hose Company’s many feeds and social events. While these type of events have declined because of the pandemic, the fundraising committee is working towards increasing those events so that they can provide an activity that allows members of our community to attend and interact with individuals they might not have seen in quite a while.

President Tom Ward commented, “It has been nothing but amazing to witness the outpouring of support we have received from our community in support of our fundraising efforts. Without a doubt, our ability to sustain a top-of-the-line fire and ambulance service for the community, with modern equipment and top-notch personnel, could not have occurred nor maintained without our strong community support. For that, I am eternally grateful and appreciative of on a daily basis. On behalf of the men and women of the Vigilant Hose Company, I say thank you to everyone that supports us both monetarily and operationally. You inspire us to continue our daily effort to achieve excellence.”

Proclaim, Share, and Serve

By On · Add Comment · In Community News

During the year 2022, the Emmitsburg Council of Churches (ECC) will proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ, share in ecumenical fellowship, and serve the community and world.

In their regular service, sessions, and classes, members of the ECC will proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ.  The Gospel (Good News) tells each person of the great love of the messiah Jesus Christ. The ECC members’ ministries are the love of the Christ evident each and every day during the year. 

Part of Christ’s active love in the ECC is its fellowship when they share at meetings and in their works. Members often meet and work together to bring about Godly change and witness by showing the love of Christ. In ECC’s bimonthly meetings, they support each other and plan outreach and service activities. Often, members share ideas about ways they all can work together. Members, though different in traditions, are unified in Christ.

Members serve the community through their Christian ministries by sponsoring the Emmitsburg Food Bank; supporting Seton Center programs; administering the Emmitsburg Fire Fund; sponsoring Emmitsburg Community Unity Day; arranging Community Lenten, Easter, and Thanksgiving Services; and encouraging all area churches to participate in the Christmas Tour of Churches. ECC also shines the light of Christ through its foreign mission efforts. Regularly, ECC-sponsored teams travel and work with mission partners in Kenya. In 2021, ECC raised funds, enabling families in Kenya to access clean water.

ECC thanks God for its beloved community and pray that 2022 will be more about pancakes than pandemics; more about health than disease; more about love than hate; and more about life than death. But in all situations, they praise God who wants everyone to experience the sheer joy of following Christ through the Holy Spirit.

To support or join the Emmitsburg Council of Churches, email ecc21727@gmail.com or mail P.O. Box 812, Emmitsburg, Maryland  21727.

The ECC supports Seton Center programs: Sr. Martha Beaudoin, Center Director, stands outside the Seton Center.

Christmas Wreaths Placed on Veterans’ Graves

By On · Add Comment · In Community News

Over 600 wreaths were delivered to the Thurmont American Legion on the afternoon of December 16 by Wreaths Across America.

The wreaths were placed on Veterans’ graves at Weller Cemetery and Blue Ridge Cemetery the following Saturday, December 18. The wreaths were purchased by the Thurmont Lions Club and were placed by Thurmont Scouts.

Thanks to Wreaths Across America, the Thurmont Lions Club, Thurmont Scouts, Thurmont American Legion Post 168, AMVETS Post 7, and all those that attended for helping to make this event possible.

The Old Barn Holds Memories for So Many

By On · Add Comment · In Community News

Like everyone else whose Thurmont history contains memories of Albert and Beulah Zentz and their family, we have all wondered what would happen to the old barn.

I am delighted to share the word that it will not be demolished. Doug, from Playground Specialists Inc., was quite thrilled to impart this information, as he, too, has his childhood memories of the farm. The Zentz home, as well as the summer kitchen and garage, will also be left undisturbed.

Board of Public Works Approves Community Parks and Playgrounds Funding for Thurmont

By On · Add Comment · In Community News

Program Provides $5 Million for Outdoor Recreation Statewide in Fiscal 2022

The Board of Public Works today approved the last of 31 community parks and playground projects for this fiscal year, totaling $5 million in grants for new and upgraded outdoor facilities in communities across Maryland.

Governor Larry Hogan’s Fiscal Year 2022 Budget included funding for these projects, through which the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) provides flexible grants to municipalities to rehabilitate, expand, or improve existing parks, create new parks, or purchase and install playground equipment.

“The Community Parks and Playgrounds Program funds important investments across Maryland,” said Maryland DNR Secretary Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio. “These projects create greater access to outdoor recreation, including nature trails, accessible playgrounds, skate parks, splash pads, and gathering spaces that connect us with our community and our natural surroundings.”

Woodland Park Playground Replacement Phase 2 was included in the Fiscal Year 2022 budget and has been approved by Maryland’s Board of Public Works for $160,000 in funding.

Thurmont Mayor John Kinnaird stated, “We sincerely appreciate the support from the Community Parks and Playgrounds program and look forward to the completion of this amazing playground planned for Woodland Park.”

Words For Thirds

By On · Add Comment · In School News

The Thurmont Grange #409 recently presented dictionaries to all third-grade students at Lewistown Elementary School. This is a community service project called “Words for Thirds” and all of the third grade students in the Catoctin feeder system have also received dictionaries (Sabillasville, Lewistown, Thurmont, and Emmitsburg Elementary Schools).

The Grange is an agricultural organization, which is deeply rooted in the community. Many of its members are farmers, business men and women, and its focus is on community service, legislation, education, and agriculture.  Many of our members hold local, county, and state offices to promote the Grange.

Every year, the Grange helps at events such as the Thurmont & Emmitsburg Community Show, the Frederick Fair (where we put in an exhibit at the Farm and Garden Building), the Catoctin Colorfest, and the annual Cookie Walk in December, to name a few. The Grange holds a Veterans’ Appreciation Night in October, and has also donated funds and items to the Thurmont Food Bank, Catoctin FFA, Boy Scouts, Catoctin Safe and Sane, and so forth. 

The dictionary has many features, such as the history of the Presidents of the United States, the solar system, sign language, and also the longest word in the United States.

Lewistown Elementary—Shown presenting the dictionaries are: (back row) Cheryl Lenhart, Thurmont Grange member, and Principal Belinda Fockler; (front row) Mila Davis, Lauren Hunter, Mady French, Grace Cassella, Olive Rinker, and Brayden Lovejoy, all third-grade students at Lewistown Elementary School.

Thurmont Elementary—(front row) Thurmont Elementary School third-graders, Alayna Conrad, McKinnly Glotfelty, Connor McGrew, Owen Ott, and Jaiden Poole; (back row) Grange members, Jodi Eyler, Rodman Myers, Karl Williams (TES Principal), Carol Long, Sue Keilholtz, and Nancy Wine.

Emmitsburg Elementary— Robert Wiles, Shane Baker, Emily McMahan, Sophia Myers, Jaxon Reaver, and Amber Madigan (Principal).

Busy Offseason at Thurmont Little League

By On · Add Comment · In Sports News

Ryan Tokar, Thurmont Little League

There is no such thing as a quiet offseason at Thurmont Little League (TLL), and this year has been no exception. The board of directors has stayed busy with big plans for the upcoming season.

When the fall season ended, the league immediately began work on its typical offseason activities, such as field and complex improvements. A great deal of work has been done on the minor and major league fields to continue to improve upon playing conditions after they were completely re-done last year. New sod was laid down in some areas, and things are on track for both fields to be in even better shape for the start of the spring season.

Speaking of which, registrations will open on January 1 for the upcoming 2022 season. Players, ages 4-13, are able to register for the appropriate division, from T-ball all the way up through Intermediate. And, new for this year, TLL is happy to be adding softball programs to its list of offerings! Three levels of play will be available for a variety of ages, including coach pitch, minors, and majors. We are very excited about the opportunity to offer this new program to the local community. Registration will close on February 13, so don’t miss out. Visit www.TLLBaseball.com today.

With the addition of the new softball program, there are other changes coming, including a new website. The website will be changing in the very near future to the more encompassing www.ThurmontLittleLeague.com. On top of that, TLL will be welcoming three new board members to help oversee all aspects of the new softball division. We would like to thank the following individuals for stepping up to the plate to help us get this program off the ground: Melissa Stidom—V.P. Softball; Ashley Balsley—Softball Player Agent; and Heather Crummitt—Board Member at Large.

Now more than ever, TLL is seeking volunteers for the upcoming season, including managers, coaches, team moms, and umpires. These are great opportunities for retirees looking to give back to the community with their free time, parents with flexible work schedules, or even high-school students looking to fulfill their community services hours. The league offers various types of training opportunities, including free umpire clinics. If you are interested in volunteering, please reach out to the league at theTLLnetwork@gmail.com.

Finally, fundraising has continued this offseason, thanks to our friends at Thurmont Roy Rogers. Several successful fundraising nights have been held, with Roys donating 25 percent of the proceeds back to the league. The next event will be held on Friday, January 14. We will also be selling the wildly popular TLL discount cards again this year, so be on the lookout for those in the upcoming months. Plans for opening day on Saturday, April 2, are already under way. We can’t wait to see everyone back out on the fields soon!

Cooperstown: The Dream Continues

By On · Add Comment · In Sports News

Last year, a local group of players and coaches from Thurmont Little League (TLL) teamed up to plan the baseball trip of a lifetime to participate in the prestigious Cooperstown Dreams Park Tournament in Cooperstown, New York. This tournament is well-known nationwide and attracts hundreds of youth baseball teams each summer. However, as was the case with many other things, the COVID-19 pandemic had other ideas. Unfortunately, instead of heading to Cooperstown, the team had to pivot and travel to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, to participate in The Ripken Experience Tournament. It was a great experience for all involved, but the players did miss out on touring the Baseball Hall of Fame and many of the other opportunities that only Cooperstown can provide.

This year, with the help of Coach Jeff Potter from the Potter Baseball Tour, the team was able to secure a spot to return to Cooperstown for this summer’s event from August 3-9, 2022. The team, consisting of 12 players and 3 coaches from the Thurmont and Emmitsburg area, will play under the name Potter Pirates Black. The Thurmont community and TLL have partnered with Potter Baseball on several activities over the past few years, including a charity kickball tournament to benefit the Fuse Teen Center, a painting project on the exterior of the Thurmont Food Bank, and upgrades to the façade of the Thurmont Senior Center. They are excited to partner with Coach Potter and his organization again for this amazing opportunity. The local team will consist of players Tucker Bryant, Chase Cregger, Brandon DeGrange, Mason Hewitt, Reed McCauley, Brody McQuay, Nate Morlan, Justice Myers, Brayden Rickerd, Graysen Strobel, Ethan Tokar, and Bracen Webb. Manager Keith Myers and Assistant Coaches Brandon McQuay and Lane Strobel will accompany the team to Cooperstown, along with umpire Blaine Young and Coach Potter.

Players and coaches get to stay on-site for a week, lodging at Baseball Village. They will be spending quality time together, meeting players from all over the country, and, of course, playing a lot of baseball. They will be provided with daily meals and custom uniforms for the tournament. The team will get to partake in an opening and closing ceremony, skills competitions, and a minimum of seven games. Other benefits include pin trading, personalized baseball cards for the players, tournament rings, and a trip to the National Baseball Hall of Fame Museum. There will be digital webcasts of the games and highlights as well for those wishing to follow along at home.

The trip comes with a hefty cost, so the team is fundraising and seeking support from the community to help them fulfill their dreams. They are asking the community to consider supporting the team at a fundraiser or by donating to the group. Many efforts are already underway, such as Roy Rogers donating a portion of their proceeds from scheduled fundraiser nights on the first Friday of each month. In addition, there has also been a Tastefully Simple fundraiser, courtesy of Dawn Fisher, and a World Series grid fundraiser in support of the team. A MightyCause online fundraiser has also been established as a method of collecting online donations. Upcoming fundraisers include Bingo on Sunday, January 9, at the Lewistown Fire Hall; the selling of Super Bowl squares; and a benefit breakfast at Trinity UCC on Saturday, March 19.

For more information on how you can help support this worthy cause, please contact Team Manager Keith Myers at keithmyers07@gmail.com.

Catoctin Sports Back in Full Swing

By On · Add Comment · In Sports News

Blair Garrett

After nearly two years without a consistent schedule, high school sports are officially back on track.

Catoctin High School athletes have had to navigate abridged seasons and restrictions, cutting down opportunities for student athletes to compete since the spring season of 2020. Some students have missed out on half of their high school athletic seasons due to the ongoing pandemic. And, with cold and flu season in full swing, the future remains uncertain.

For now, though, students finally have a consistent schedule to compete with other athletes around the region.

Regular seasons for popular winter sports like basketball, wrestling, and swimming have had fans itching to get back to normal. Even the playoff format once again follows the standard format from non-COVID years. 

“As of right now, everything is normal with regards to playoffs, Athletic Director Keith Bruck said. “It’s the same structure we’ve had pre-COVID with the region format and championship schedule, so hopefully that continues.”

Though students and fans have reason to be excited for winter sports, there are still regulations and precautions to be followed for everyone in attendance.

“This year for the fans, coaches, and everyone inside the gymnasium, they have to wear a mask,” Bruck said. “While the players are actively engaged in the sport, they don’t have to wear a mask.”

This is a big development from last season, where players for indoor sports like basketball were required to play masked throughout the duration of the game.

“When a kid is on the court for basketball, they don’t have to wear a mask, but when they come off the court, they’re expected to put a mask on,” Bruck said.

No matter how small the progress is to working toward normalcy, the goal is to keep taking the proper precautions seriously to allow students to continue pursuing athletics. Even if some of the rules are uncomfortable at times, it beats missing out on another season of high school sports.

The local support has been great through the first few weeks of winter sports, with fans making their voices heard from the stands. “Attendance has been about the same as it was in previous years,” Bruck said. “Folks are anxious to get back and see their favorite teams.”

With fans and players only getting to experience a glimpse of a normal season in 2020, this season’s athletes are excited for a chance to do it right. “We had a really short winter season last year, so I think folks want to get back to watching high school sports,” Bruck said.

Fans will have plenty of opportunities to catch Catoctin sports over the winter break, with wrestling and basketball tournaments highlighting the end of December. Both tournaments will allow students to showcase the hard work they have been putting in all year to prepare for their time to shine.

With the turning of the page into the new year, Track and Field and Swimming meets become a big deal for hundreds of athletes in the region. These events typically bring multiple schools together, so the continuation of group competitions is a hugely positive sign for the state of high school sports.

A particularly close-contact sport like wrestling having the green light to carry on is also encouraging. Prevention of COVID transmission between wrestlers seems almost impossible, but, fortunately, programs have had good luck this season avoiding any delays and shutdowns due to outbreaks.   

“We haven’t had to pause with any of our teams so far,” Bruck said. “We’ve had individual cases here and there, but we haven’t had to stop our teams from practicing or playing.”

It’s no secret that everyone wants the COVID nightmare behind us, and the athletes finally have something concrete to focus on as they push through their regular seasons toward playoffs. The opportunity to compete for a state title is something these athletes won’t take for granted.

You can catch Catoctin sports from the jump in 2022, with all games, meets, and matches listed on the Catoctin High School athletic calendar at www.fcps.org.

Fire, Fire, Burning Bright

By On · Add Comment · In Arts & Entertainment

written by James Rada, Jr.

A new serial fiction story for your enjoyment

5: Home Fire Burning

Paul Cresap woke with his head throbbing and someone pounding on the door. He tried to open his eyes, but they were crusted over.

He rubbed his eyelashes to break up the crust. Even then, he would have preferred to keep his eyes closed.

Someone knocked on the door to the office again. “Sheriff! Sheriff!”

Paul sat up. “Wait a minute! I need to dress.”

He stood up slowly and pulled his suspenders over his shoulders. He walked out of the single cell that Mechanicstown had. Since it also served as Paul’s bedroom more often than not, it meant he had little incentive to arrest anyone. He didn’t want to lose his bedroom.

He walked out of the cell and across the office. He opened the door and saw Tom Weller. He owned a dry goods store on Church Street. Paul often bought his coffee beans there.

“Sheriff, there’s been another fire,” Tom said. He was out of breath, and Paul guessed he had run from his home above his store.

“Another fire?”

“Didn’t you hear the fire bell ringing earlier?”

Paul shook his head. He wasn’t about to tell Tom that he had been passed out drunk and wouldn’t have heard a black powder explosion if it had gone off under his bed.

Paul said, “Apparently not. Besides, fires aren’t my jurisdiction.” Two of them hadn’t even been in Mechanicstown. The ironmaster’s home in Catoctin Furnace had burned earlier this evening. Then Rev. John Clark Hoyle’s home had burned down sometime. That house had been on Frederick Road, not far from the church he presided over in Catoctin Furnace.

Someone had told Paul about both of them, but he hadn’t done anything because they were outside of the town limits.

“But three fires!” Tom said. “That can’t be coincidence. Something needs to be done.”

Even in his drunken state, Paul realized Tom was probably right. Mechanicstown might have a fire a month, usually from sparks escaping a fireplace, but three in one night? It probably wasn’t accidental.

“Where is this fire?” Paul asked.

“It’s the Worthy place on Water Street.”

That home was in Mechanicstown. The people in town would expect Paul to check it out. “Is the fire out?” Paul asked.

Tom nodded. “Just about.”

First, the ironmaster’s mansion, then the reverend’s home on Frederick Street, and now a house on Water Street.

“Who owns the Worthy Place?” Paul asked.

“Jonah Worthy. He owns the general store in Catoctin Furnace,” Tom told him.

It was like someone was making his way from the furnace and up the mountain. Paul also realized that for three fires to burn in one night, they had to be started fairly quickly. Each fire would divert people to it. There probably hadn’t been too many people left to form the bucket brigade at Jonah Worthy’s house. People might still be at the fire on Frederick Road.

“I’ll go out to the Worthy place shortly,” Paul said.

He went back into his office and picked up the bucket. He walked out back to fill it with water from the pump and relieve himself in the outhouse. He walked back inside to wash himself off and dress. He combed his hair to make himself look presentable.

Then, he saddled his horse and rode out to the West Main Street. Then he turned south on Water Street. The Worthy place was just a shell of blackened timbers by the time Paul reached it. It was still smoking. He saw the Worthys rummaging through the remains, seeing if there was anything they could salvage. He wished them luck and hoped they would find something to help them rebuild their lives.

Paul hadn’t been so lucky. He had lost his family and his farm. Of course, it hadn’t been a fire that took them away. He’d been too drunk most of the time to run his farm, and he had fallen behind on the taxes. The county took the farm, and then his wife and daughter left him to go live with her parents.

It surprised him that the townspeople elected him sheriff. Paul had run because he needed the work. He was lucky no one else wanted the job, or he would still be looking for work.

Paul walked over to Jonah Worthy, who stopped what he was doing.

“Did everyone get out all right, Jonah?”

Jonah Worthy looked like he had been in a fight. His clothing was torn. His face was covered in dirt, and he looked despondent. “Mary was just getting up to start the morning fires in the stove when she saw the flames.”

“Where did it start?”

“That’s just it, Sheriff. She said the flames were all around the house. They worked their way in. We gathered the children and used blankets to get through the fires at the back door.”

Paul patted the older man on the shoulder. Then he walked around the edge of the house. He could see pieces of logs all around the perimeter. These weren’t boards, but logs the size of firewood.

He scratched at his beard and considered what he was seeing. He didn’t like it. He didn’t like it at all.

He mounted his horse and rode his horse further south to Rev. Hoyle’s house on Frederick Road. It looked much the same as the Worthy house, although the fire hadn’t destroyed it entirely because the house had been constructed of stone. The walls were standing, but the roof had collapsed.

Paul walked to the edge of the house and saw pieces of logs all along the sides where there shouldn’t be wood.

He suspected he was dealing with an arsonist, but why would someone even try to burn a stone building down. Certainly he had damaged it, but the reverend could gut the interior and rebuilt the roof. It wasn’t a total loss like the Worthy house, which is what Paul would have thought an arsonist would have wanted.

So, if complete destruction wasn’t the goal, what was? Did the arsonist know the people who lived in the houses? This house belonged to the reverend at Harriet Church. Jonah Worthy owned the store in Catoctin Furnace, and the iron company owned the ironmaster’s mansion.

Paul nodded slowly. So, all three owners had connections to the iron company, but was that enough of a connection? He could understand someone being angry with the iron company, and maybe even the owner of the store, but a reverend? Paul had met Rev. Hoyle. He was as nice as they came.

Honestly, it surprised Paul there weren’t more fires at the furnace. They kept the furnace fires hot enough to turn iron into liquid. Imagine what damage it could do if some of that molten iron was thrown on a house? This all looked like was it was the work of a well-set wood fire, though.

Paul suspected this was the work of an arsonist because the two houses he had seen had been burned from all around the outside inward, and he suspected he would find the same thing at the ironmaster’s mansion. Paul was in over his head. He was just a farmer, and a drunk one at that.

Once Upon A Time

By On · Add Comment · In Columns

by James Rada, Jr.

January 1922, 100 Years Ago

Amrs Broken

Last Friday Leslie W. Fox, of Rocky Ridge, sustained a compound fracture of the left forearm, a broken bone in the left hand, right forearm broken, right hand badly bruised and contusions on both legs. He was in the employ of the Emmitsburg R. R. Co., and was helping to load a barrel of molasses on the Emmitsburg car. The plank slipped from the floor of the car throwing Mr. Fox to the ground and the barrel on top of him. He said, “I landed flat on my back and saw the barrel coming for my head and threw up both hands. It struck on my stomach and my hands under it and from there it rolled down my legs and off my feet.”

                                          – Catoctin Clarion, January 9, 1922

Annan Residence of Emmitsburg Destroyed By Fire

“Craggystone” the beautiful residence of Mr. Isaac M. Annan, at upper West Main street, with the exception of the four stone walls, was completely destroyed by fire on Wednesday morning.

Smoke and flames were noticed coming from the roof by some of the help around the Annan place and immediately a hurried call was put in for the fire company. The women help around the Hotel Slagle rushed one of the fire reels that has been stationed in the Hotel garage to the scene of the fire but before the firemen could get the hose in order the flames had made considerable headway. It was not long before the entire population of the community was on hand to give assistance and some good work was done in saving some of the furniture and household goods especially on the first floor. The fire had eaten in too far on the second and third floors to save little or anything.

                                          – Catoctin Clarion, January 26, 1922

January 1947, 75 Years Ago

At Tractor School

Frank Long, Thurmont and Arthur Graham, Walkersville, will today enter the four-day, tractor maintenance school held annually at College Park. The two Frederick County 4-H Club youths were selected for the intensive training on upkeep of vital farm machinery because of outstanding interests displayed by them in this field. Skilled mechanics of an oil company will conduct the training of 4-H County leaders, assisted by instructors from the University of Maryland Extension service.

                                          – Frederick Post, January 23, 1947

To Install Meters

Installation of parking meters in Thurmont has been authorized by the town board, Mayor Omer J. Dubel announced. Approximately 75 meters will be ordered and will be installed within 10 days in all four directions from the square. The move was taken by the board to relieve parking conditions. The meters are similar to those ordered for Brunswick and there will be no cash outlay for them. They are installed on a pay-as-you-go basis on nine-months’ trial.

                                          – Frederick News, January 20, 1947

January 1972, 50 Years Ago

Early Mail Pickup Stops In Square

Effective Saturday, January 8, 1972, the early morning pick-up of mail from the collection box on the Square in Emmitsburg, will be discontinued.

This service was initiated many years ago, when the Post Office Department used Railway and Highway Post Office conveyances, and therefore many dispatches were made during the day and night.

With reorganization, the new United States Postal Service discontinued the Highway Post Offices and also many Railway Post Offices, reduced the number of dispatches per day, uses faster transportation between Sectional Centers and uses better mail processing techniques.

                                          – Emmitsburg Chronicle, January 6, 1972

Carroll Newcomer First Native In Town To Receive Boy Scout Eagle Award

Carroll E. “Skip” Newcomer, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Carroll E. Newcomer, North Seton Avenue, will be presented with the Eagle Scout Award on Sunday, January 16. Skip is the first Emmitsburg native from Troop 284 ever to receive this distinction.

                                          – Emmitsburg Chronicle, January 13, 1972

January 1997, 25 Years Ago

Floodproofing Plan to be Presented at Town Meeting

The Town Council will hear a report of the county’s floodproofing protection plan for Emmitsburg at the town meeting on Monday, January 6 at 7:30 p.m., at the town office.

Alan Hudak, bureau chief of Frederick County’s highways and transportation, will discuss proposed county recommendations to help protect the Emmitsburg area from floodwaters. The floodproofing plan comes after severe flooding occurred in the area in June and a task force was formed to look at ways to avoid future problems.

                          – The Emmitsburg Regional Dispatch, January 1997

No Plastic in Our Town!

This season the lovely traditional decorations appeared again as if by magic on the lamp posts along Main Street, complimenting the charm of Emmitsburg. In their usual efficient manner the annual gathering of the “Christmas Elves,” under the admonition—“There shall be no plastic in our town”—made quick work of assembling the swags of evergreens and bright red bows. Bless them all…every one.

                          – The Emmitsburg Regional Dispatch, January 1997

Looking Back

By On · Add Comment · In Columns

by James Rada, Jr.

How A Lincoln Conspirator Came to Call Emmitsburg Home

John Surratt Jr. hated life in Emmitsburg, but then he hated life in America. Maybe that was why he tried to kidnap the President of the United States.

Surratt was born April 13, 1844, in Washington, D.C., the youngest of John and Mary Surratt’s five children. When the Civil War broke out, Surratt was attending St. Charles College near Baltimore. His father died in 1862 while Surratt was home, and he did not return to complete his schooling. Instead, he was appointed U.S. Postmaster of Surrattsville, Maryland, but he also became a postmaster of sorts for the Confederacy. He carried letters and troop information to Confederate boats on the Potomac River.

“We had a regular established line from Washington to the Potomac, and I being the only unmarried man on the route, I had most of the hard riding to do. I devised various ways to carry the dispatches – sometimes in the heel of my boots, sometimes between the planks of the buggy,” Surratt said in an 1870 speech.

Samuel Mudd introduced Surratt to John Wilkes Booth on December 23, 1864, in Washington. Surratt willingly joined in Booth’s conspiracy to abduct President Abraham Lincoln by stopping his carriage while it was en route to a destination.

“To our great disappointment, however, the President was not there but one of the government officials – Mr. [Salmon P.] Chase, if I mistake not. We did not disturb him, as we wanted a bigger chase than he could have afforded us. It was certainly a bitter disappointment, but yet I think a most fortunate one for us. It was our last attempt,” Surratt said.

On the night Booth and some of Surratt’s other co-conspirators attempted a triple assassination of Lincoln, the vice president and the secretary of state, Surratt said he was in Elmira, N.Y., spying for the Confederacy. However, it was believed initially that Surratt attempted to assassinate the secretary of state. Surratt found himself a wanted man with a $25,000 bounty on his head.

Surratt fled to Canada. “A parish priest, Father Charles Boucher, gave sanctuary to the former Catholic seminarian, and Surratt remained there in hiding from mid-April through the trial, conviction, sentencing, and hanging of his mother. He followed the trial by reading the papers, and through secret correspondence with friends in Washington. In all that time, from the end of April to the first week of July, Surratt made no effort to save his mother from the gallows. Later, he blamed his friends for failing to inform him about the true peril that Mary Surratt faced,” James Swanson wrote in Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer.

Mary Surratt was arrested tried and hanged with three other conspirators – George Atzerodt, Lewis Paine, and David Herold.

From Canada, Surratt fled to England in September 1865 and then onto Rome, where he joined the Papal Zouaves, the army of the Papal States. On a trip to Egypt in 1866, Surratt was identified as a Lincoln conspirator and arrested.

He was returned to the United States where he stood trial in a civilian court that began on June 10, 1867. After testimony from 170 witnesses, the trial ended two months later with a hung jury. The government eventually dropped the charges and Surratt was freed in the summer of 1868.

“John Surratt was a free man. His mother was dead, he had been exposed as a leader in a plot to kidnap President Lincoln, and he had earned the reputation of a coward who had abandoned his mother to die. But at least he was alive. If he had been captured in 1865 and tried by military tribunal, he certainly would have been convicted, and would likely have been executed,” Swanson wrote.

Surratt sought to turn his experiences into a career on the lecture circuit. He readily admitted a part in the kidnapping but denied involvement in the assassination. When his speaking tour was canceled because of public outrage, Surratt took up teaching. Following a stint as a teacher at a school in Rockville, Md., he used his Catholic connections to secure a position in Emmitsburg.

One source puts Surratt in Emmitsburg as early as 1870, teaching at St. Joseph’s School, which was identified as being held in the old fire hall opposite St. Joseph’s Church.

“He rattled his classes and resorted to physical punishment to maintain discipline. On older boys, some of them twenty or twenty-one, he used his fists. The younger boys John would beat with a paddle after he had stretched them over a special punishment desk which he had designed,” according to a 1938 letter by Frederick Welty.

Sandra Walia with the Surratt House Museum’s James O. Hall Research Center doubts this could have been Surratt because his students nicknamed the man in Welty’s letter “Old Bear” and Surratt would have only been about 27 years old at the time, barely older than the oldest boys he taught.

Another account, which comes directly from Surratt, said he left his teaching position in Rockville in 1873 and took a job as principal at St. Vincent’s Academy in Emmitsburg with 60 students. This was probably St. Vincent’s Hall, which was built in 1857 as a combination school and literary and social center next to St. Joseph’s Church. The Daughters of Charity took over the teaching there in 1878, so the 1873 date for Surratt’s tenure would have been right.

During his time there, Surratt wrote to Father Jolivet who had sheltered him in England when he had fled Canada after Lincoln’s assassination. “My greatest desire, Father Jolivet is to leave this abominable country and go to Europe there to spend the balance of my days in peace and quiet,” Surratt wrote.

At the time Surratt wrote the letter, he had been married 11 months to Mary Victorine Hunter, a second cousin of Francis Scott Key. He was also the father of a newborn son. Shortly after that, the Surratts moved to Baltimore where Surratt took a job at the Baltimore Steam Packet Company.

When he died of pneumonia on April 21, 1916, at age 72, he was the last surviving member of the Lincoln conspiracy and the only one known to have called Emmitsburg home.

John Surratt in his uniform as a Papal Zouave in Rome.

The Supermarket Gourmet

By On · Add Comment · In Columns

A New Year In The Kitchen

by Buck Reed

So, we made it through another year, and just in time, because the new one is starting. Maybe you got everything accomplished that you wanted and maybe you didn’t. No judgement from me. It is for you to decide if you are worthy to move on. But, whether you do, the new year is coming anyway. Since we all have been busy, distracted, or otherwise preoccupied, it is understandable if you did not come up with a resolution for 2022. Don’t fear, as always, I am here to help.

I suggest you make a short list of dishes, techniques, or cuisines you want to learn or master in the upcoming year. Think of the food you or your family like to eat or want to try and write it out. If you are ambitious, you can try for one for every month of the year. Here are a few ideas and a few thoughts on how to accomplish them.

Make a Soup Meal — This could be a great project for those long winter days. Just find a good chowder or seafood idea and bump it up to the next level. This could turn into a wonderful winter warmer.

Make Valentine’s Day Dinner for Someone — Let’s face it, going out to a restaurant on this holiday can be a drag on the night and on your wallet. But, with a little study, practice, and work you could create a meal that will dazzle the love of your life. At the very least, you should get points for trying. Don’t forget the flowers.

Learn to Make Pizza – Everyone likes pizza, and you will need relatively little equipment and to master a few techniques to get this one checked off. Learning how to correctly make the dough can be challenging, but once you get the yeast to behave properly, you have it. The best part is, once you master the yeast, there are numerous baked goods that will work for you. Get creative with your toppings.

Work with Seafood — This one might push you out of your comfort zone, but what is living without a little peril? This is where a little studying and finesse will need to be employed. Just have a little faith in your abilities and give it your best shot.

Make a Dessert — There are cake people and there are pie people, and you should not try to change either of them. We won’t mention pudding people. Just pick your favorite, and, well…you know what to do.

Master a Cuisine — If I were to pick a favorite, I might pick Latin American. It has a rich history and an underappreciated diversity.

Step Up Your Grill Game — Here is one for a summer meal. Try a new ingredient on the grill. If you want easy, try grilled scallions as a side dish (it’s a game-changer). Or, if you feel like swaggering, put a couple of whole fish over the fire.

Given the circumstances of the last couple of years, cooking at home is an option everyone should seriously consider. With the increase in the cost of going out to eat and the availability of certain ingredients, it would be fitting for us all to not only cook more of our own meals, but also learn to do it well. 

The Gardening Gangster

By On · Add Comment · In Columns

by Ana Morlier, The Crazy Plant Lady

Plants That Symbolize Peace

Happy January! Even though the major holidays have passed, there are still many important national holidays to celebrate.

On January 1, the Universal Hour of Peace will be celebrated. The day was founded on the idea that the new year should start with the harmony and unity of all nations. During this time, fighting across the globe ceases. However, this special day should be extended and set the tone for the rest of the new year. A year of acceptance and love for all. There should be no barriers for anyone who wants to accomplish their dreams.

Celebrate this day by gifting family and friends with these plants that symbolize peace. Or, nurture these plants on your own, and remind yourself that even with external conflict, peace is achievable both inside and out, as you can enact positive change.

Lavender. This easy-to-care for herb releases a soothing aroma and can be maintained indoors. Gifting these plants shares the feelings of devotion, love, protection, and happiness. To maintain this plant, place your pot (with well-draining soil) in direct sunlight and plant your lavender. Water every other day. You can water lavender every day, if necessary.

Violets. Previously used for the deceased, as this flower was thought to bring peace to resting souls. This plant represents healing, devotion, and peace. Luckily, violets return every year (as they are perennial) and need only moderate watering and a cool space to grow.

Note: They are expected to bloom in mid to late summer, but this does not mean you have to wait to cultivate them or acquire planting supplies to grow them in spring!

Peace Lilies. These plants symbolize peace, empathy, and tranquility and make perfect houseplants! Again, they require well-draining soil, but grow in indirect sunlight, with occasional watering every two to three days.

Rosemary. This plant is said to be used to commemorate loved ones with it’s comforting aroma. Similar to lavender, it can be grown indoors in direct sunlight, with well-draining soil and periodic watering.

Fiscus. These are great indoor plants that symbolize peace and prosperity. They require indirect sunlight, occasional watering and temperatures between 60 and 75 degrees fahrenheit. Their voluminous leaves can make one mistake these plants for trees!

Monstera. This plant is tropical in appearance, with large leaves. Symbolizing honor and respect, these plants require indirect sunlight and occasional watering.

Philodendrons. These are hearty plants that thrive in temperatures between 50-90 degrees fahrenheit in indirect sunlight. They also require occasional watering and well-draining soil. These dark, leafy plants symbolize a love of nature and growth.

Take time to honor this special day and appreciate the peace in your life. May these plants empower you to bring peace to others and change the world for the better.

Credit to Flower Meaning.com, Kayleigh Dray from the Stylist, UK; Erica Daniels, ProFlowers, and National Today.

Culinary Arts Creations

By On · Add Comment · In Columns

by Ava Morlier, Culinary Arts Writer

Today’s recipe is simple, yet elegant and delicious: Baked Brie. Baked brie marries together many flavors and textures in one delicious package. Creamy and savory brie is contrasted with the crunchy, salty flavors of the puff pastry. The sweet garnishes (honey, craisins) enhance the creaminess of the brie and contrast well against the savory puff pastry sheet.

This dish is also incredibly versatile. Have a pairing you prefer with brie? Use it as a garnish! Some alternative ingredients could include pear or apple slices, almonds, drizzling on balsamic vinegar (for a sweet, yet sharp contrast) or raspberry melba, or brushing the sheet with brown sugar. Or you could try using a different vehicle (instead of french bread) to get the melted cheese to your mouth, such as seasoned toast points or crackers.

Enjoy cracking open this delicious gourmet treat, and may the melty brie warm your soul during this long winter!

Baked Brie

Ingredients

1 triangle brie cheese

¼ sheet puff pastry

1 egg

⅛ cup honey

2 tbsp. Craisins

¼ cup walnuts

¼ loaf french bread

Makes 1 serving

Tools Needed

Small bowl, fork, pastry brush, parchment paper, small sheet pan, serrated knife, cutting board, dry measuring utensils

Instructions

Preheat oven to 4250.

Cut parchment paper to size on the sheet pan. Cut the loaf of french bread into thin rounds.

Place a puff pastry sheet on the prepared pan. Prep the egg wash.

Brush the inside of the puff pastry with the egg wash.

Place the triangle of cheese diagonally on the puff pastry sheet, so that the tip of the cheese is pointing at the top left corner and the round end of the cheese is facing the bottom right corner.

Fold the puff pastry around the cheese, slightly stretching the sheet. Make sure all holes are sealed (pinch the holes closed) and the cheese is completely covered by the puff pastry.

Egg wash the outside of the puff pastry. Place cut rounds on sheet and put in the oven.

Bake for 15 minutes (taking it off the pan after toasted, 3-5 minutes) or until the outside is golden brown.

Meanwhile, measure and prepare other ingredients.

Once finished, take out and let sit 5 minutes; move to a serving plate.

Immediately drizzle on honey and garnish with craisins and walnuts.

Serve.

*With credit to Chef Liddick of CTC