CHS Academic Team’s Impressive Season Cougars Earn First Place in Regular Season Alisha Yocum The Catoctin High School (CHS) Academic Team had an exciting season, proving that size doesn’t always determine success. While other county high schools fielded teams of 25 to 50 students, CHS competed with a roster of just 11. Yet, the team…

Part I Richard D. L Fulton Amusement parks and their subgenera, theme parks, trace their origins back to the 1800s, and many continue to thrive exceedingly well today. The difference between an amusement park and a theme park is that amusement parks provide general entertainment, while theme parks tend to focus more on storytelling. For…

by James Rada, Jr. T h u r m o n t .Town Gets Loan to Fight “Forever Chemicals” The Maryland Department of the Environment has approved the Town of Thurmont for three forgivable loans, totaling more than $6 million, to build filtration units at each of the town’s three water treatment plants. The filtration…

Thurmont Mayor John Kinnaird Mayor John Kinnaird was unable to submit his column for this month. Emmitsburg Mayor Frank Davis February has been a busy month, filled with community events, meetings, and new opportunities to enhance our town. Hopefully, we’ve made it through the toughest part of winter as we prepare for exciting spring activities.…

Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse Richard D. L. Fulton On August 6, 2021, the United States Postal Service (USPS) issued a “forever” stamp, featuring the Maryland Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse as part of a set of stamps commemorating Mid-Atlantic lighthouses. The stamp depicts the current version of the lighthouse, along with a flock of the endemic…

by Michele Tester For One More Day by Mitch Albom I started a Book Club many years ago with a few of my fellow book-lover friends. My book pick for our first club meeting was For One More Day by Mitch Albom. This is one of my favorite books, and Mitch Albom is one of…

The Changing Landscape of Relationships February is here, and love is in the air! As Valentine’s Day approaches, restaurants will fill with couples enjoying romantic dinners, while florists will scramble to deliver beautiful bouquets. But have you ever wondered how couples first meet? Well, not surprisingly, the way people meet the love of their lives…

By JEFF YOCUM It was the night before Christmas / And all through the house / Not a creature was stirring / But for the guy crying, “OUCH”! That guy was me, and I was having the first, real medical emergency of my 70-year life. Getting up from bed to go to the bathroom, I…

by James Rada, Jr. Thurmont Streetlight Replacement Approved The Thurmont Mayor and Commissioners approved a bid from Catoctin Lighting to replace 114 streetlights in the Pleasant Acres and Bennett Estates subdivisions with LED streetlights. The cost of the contract is $48,564 and is funded by a grant from the Maryland Smart Energy Communities Grant. The…

Thurmont Mayor John Kinnaird Can you believe that it’s February already? The winter has been hitting us pretty hard with the snowfall and freezing temperatures; hopefully, it will warm up a little for us. When the temperatures drop, please watch family, friends, and neighbors to ensure they are safe and warm. Make sure your outdoor…

Chesapeake Bay: 2006 Richard D. L. Fulton On May 27, 2006, the United States Postal Service (USPS) issued a set of 39-cent stamps commemorating Wonders of America, one of which focused on the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Stamp depicted a blue heron flying within a background of a sunset over the Chesapeake Bay and a…

Submitted by Joan Bittner Fry Recently, while browsing in one of my favorite thrift shops, I found a 2007 cookbook. The cover signified that it was written in celebration of the 275th Anniversary of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Creagerstown. Along with the wonderful recipes, there was the following interesting story about a flagon, a…

How Hunting Sustains Tradition, Nature, and FamiliesAlisha Yocum When I took over the newspaper a year ago, one of the most common questions I heard was, “Are you bringing back the deer hunting photos?” For years, this was a regular feature in The Catoctin Banner. Why is it so important? Hunting has been a time-honored…

by James Rada, Jr. Thurmont Simmers Property Annexation Proposal Cross & Company, LLC recently reintroduced a new annexation plan for the Simmers Property at 304 Apples Church Road. Nearly 8 acres of the 24.5-acre property is already within the town property. The property was previously presented for annexation in 2022 and was denied at a…

Thurmont Mayor John Kinnaird Wow, here we are in 2025—it seems time goes by faster every year! Karen and I hope everyone had an amazing Christmas. Spending time with friends and family makes for very special times and memories. We also want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! We both hope the new year…