by James Rada, Jr. Thurmont Town Election at the End of October The Town of Thurmont will hold its town election on October 28 from 7 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Guardian Hose Activities Building at 123 East Main Street. The positions of mayor and two commissioners are open. They are currently held by […]
THURMONT Mayor John Kinnaird Here we are at the end of September already! Schools are back in session, and autumn is coming fast. With the changing season will come the nice cooler temperatures, colorful leaves, and fall events. We just celebrated the 69th Annual Thurmont & Emmitsburg Community Show, and I am looking forward to […]
* Blood on the Badge by James Rada, Jr. is now available at local booksellers and retails for $15.95. In 1827, George Swearingen was a young man with a promising future. He was a member of a prominent family in Washington County, Maryland; he had a pretty young wife and infant daughter; and he was […]
Richard D. L. Fulton Edgar Allan Poe Although Richmond is the place Poe most considered home, Baltimore defines the beginning and the end of his life. ~ “Edgar Allan Poe in Baltimore,” The Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore The United States Postal Service (USPS) issued two stamps commemorating the noteworthy poet and horror writer, […]
Richard D. L. Fulton My wife, who at heart was not a little tinctured with superstition, made frequent allusion to the ancient popular notion, which regarded all black cats as witches in disguise. ~Edgar Allan Poe, “The Black Cat,” 1845. The 17th and 18th centuries were not a very good time to be a witch […]
Alisha Yocum Sweet Thyme Breads & Treats LLC, a new bakery that focuses on providing baked goods using clean ingredients, opened in June at 14410 Argonne Avenue at Fort Ritchie in Cascade. Manager Madison McGrady said the staff sources many of their ingredients from local markets and businesses. “Our products do not contain processed ingredients […]
Woodsboro Bank has announced that President and CEO Steve Heine (pictured right) will retire on December 31, 2025, after more than eight years of leadership. Heine, who joined the bank in 2017, guided it through a period of record growth, with profitability rising each year, and the bank more than doubling in size. He also […]
Emmitsburg New Business and Development Briefs The following are the statuses of new businesses and developments coming to Emmitsburg from the town planner’s report: Federal Stone (Creamery Road, east side of U.S. 15) — An occupancy permit has been issued. Awaiting as-builts. Grand opening is scheduled for October 12, 2025. Creamery Court Extension (Creamery Court) […]
by Richard D. L. Fulton Monocacy Drive-In Theater The Monocacy Drive-in Theater opened on August 24, 1952, and was located on Route 140 (Taneytown-Emmitsburg Road), near Taneytown. The coming of a new drive-in theater was initially announced in the August 26, 1952, edition of The (Frederick) News, which had reported that John G. Miller, owner […]
Alisha Yocum The Town of Thurmont hosted its first-ever Pub Crawl this year, blending fun with fundraising to support breast cancer awareness and research. According to Vickie Grinder, the town’s Economic development manager, the idea was sparked during a casual conversation with Jim Burns of AMVETS Post 7. Burns, along with fellow AMVETS member Christopher […]
A Fight Against Breast Cancer Anne scott This is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and my sister, Jamie Smith, is fighting Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC). This is a very aggressive type of breast cancer. Jamie had no lumps but started with a rash, and in no time, had swelling and redness, causing the breast to look […]
Town of Thurmont Town Planner Kelly Duty (pictured right) has been appointed to the Maryland Coordinated Permitting Review Council (MCPRC). The MCPRC is a state entity established by Governor Wes Moore’s Executive Order in December 2024 to streamline the permitting process for major projects and foster economic growth in Maryland. It achieves this by improving […]
The Fort Ritchie Community Center has announced a new program designed to help teens develop crucial soft skills for the modern workplace through fun and interactive activities. The Teen Leadership Program targets teenagers, ages 13-18, and aims to fill a growing gap by equipping the next generation with essential interpersonal skills needed to succeed. “Employers […]
The first year of Emmitsburg Neighborhood Meals is winding down and is being considered a success in helping to build connections between residents while sharing a meal. The program began after a citizen suggested to Emmitsburg Mayor Frank Davis to start a program offering a hot meal to folks in need. Davis and Operations Specialist […]
Submitted by J. Marsh, T270 Historian They explored every place they could: the house, the basement, the garden, and Mulberry Row. Monticello was the house of Thomas Jefferson and had one of the first air-conditioning systems in history. It is also the second version of Monticello. After Jefferson came back from France, he wanted his house […]
Submitted by J. Marsh, T270 Historian Scouts BSA Troop 270 took a bike ride on May 10 and 11 on the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal (C&O), which is 184 miles long. The Troop started in MCoys Ferry, which is mile 110, and went in reverse for the first part of day one; they were adding […]
The Town of Thurmont, in conjunction with the Thurmont Police Department, Frederick County Emergency Management, and the Guardian Hose Company, is working on plans to implement an audible warning system in Thurmont to alert residents of weather emergencies or other critical news. The recent tragic flooding events in Texas have brought the need for this […]
by Jeff Yocum “A Change of Scenery” focuses on day trips from Thurmont that are within 150 miles (give or take). These trips will not include “Disney-level” destinations, but rather, lesser-known points of interest. The purpose of the article is to suggest venues for folks seeking a short, easily accessible change of scenery. In the […]
December 13, 1938 – September 22, 2025 Virginia Gay Hahn, 86, of Thurmont, passed away peacefully on Monday, September 22, 2025, at her home. Born on December 13, 1938, in Pittsburgh, PA, she was the daughter of the late Charles Arthur and Virginia Ruth (Eyler) Elder. She was the wife of the late Lewis Edward […]
September 5, 1923 – September 24, 2025 Gloria Rose Joy Martin Bauerline, beloved mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, entered into God’s eternal care on September 24, 2025, at the age of 102. Born on September 5, 1923, in Emmitsburg, Maryland, she was the eldest of ten children of the late Hubert and Gertrude Joy. A […]
Catoctin Girls Soccer Building New Identity Alisha Yocum The Catoctin High School Girls Varsity Soccer team is off to a great start to their 2025 season, with a historic win over South Hagerstown. In the late days of summer, Catoctin High School announced the hiring of a new Girls Varisty Soccer Coach, Jimmy Ward. His […]
With Michael Betteridge Golf Is A Puzzle Without An Answer A sports topic we’ve never covered before in this column recently became big news in Thurmont: GOLF! Catoctin Cougars freshman Callen Edmonston was named athlete of the week last September after recording a five under par 31 at Maple Run Golf Course in Thurmont during […]
Alisha Yocum In 2023, Chesterton Academy of the Annunciation opened in Emmitsburg, offering a private Catholic school option for high school students. Originally operating under the Chesterton Schools Network, this spring, the school became an independent school in order to gain more curricular autonomy. The school recently selected a new name, Annunciation High School. Kristin […]
Catoctin High School (CHS)Sports Boosters is a parent-based organization that provides support for all CHS athletes, sports teams, and coaches. The Sports Boosters program is needed to cover the additional expenses not covered by the very limited athletic department budget. Money is raised through fundraisers, concession sales, sponsorship, and membership. Please consider becoming a Catoctin […]
Jame Rada, Jr. 4: 5: The Letter Two weeks had slipped by in Thurmont as Celine Winfrey remained with the Freeze family. Dawn after dawn, she rose to the sound of locomotive whistles and settled at the little kitchen table, waiting for word from California—any word. Bill Freeze had mailed a letter, addressed to her […]