James Rada, Jr. The Thurmont area is perfect for growing grapes that then can be turned into fine wines, and Alicja and Voytek Fizyta have the awards to prove it. Over the past five years, the wines of Catoctin Breeze Winery have earned thirty awards at shows like the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association Wine Competition […]
Annual Picnic Held in Sabillasville The annual Sabillasville Picnic was held in Sabillasville on Saturday, August 15, 2015. The Bluegrass Chapel Band strummed out old hymns and folk songs while residents relaxed, mingled, and enjoyed ice cream and other goodies. This long-time annual event is hosted by St. John’s United Church of Christ in Sabillasville, […]
Deb Spalding Young Betty Jean Hixen was raised in a family of Polish and Irish descent, who were coal miners in Jordan, West Virginia. Just three miles away, her future husband, William (Bill) Meredith, lived with his family of Welsh and Irish ancestry. They were farmers. The two were destined to love, and met when […]
The Catoctin-Ettes, Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(3) competitive baton twirling, color guard, pom pom, and percussion organization from Emmitsburg, is reaching out to the community to ask for their consideration in making a tax-deductible donation to their corps. With the money that they collect, they will be able to purchase equipment and meet their operational expenses, […]
Fall brings the biggest fundraiser for Boy Scouts of America: Popcorn! This fundraiser is through Trails End, who are now giving seventy-three percent back to scouting. They have increased the amount of product you receive this year, but kept the price the same. They have also added a couple of new flavors. This major fundraiser […]
Randy Waesche Fifty years ago three of Thurmont’s leading citizens figured in two of the most remarkable episodes in town politics. The men were Donald L. Lewis, Roy W. Lookingbill, and Calvin G. Wilhide. Donald L. Lewis was one of Thurmont’s most-progressive mayors. Although only in office for just over five years, the effects of […]
CPT David Lee Burrier, son of Lonnie and Barbara Burrier of Thurmont, recently became Company Commander of the HHC, 127th Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, and 82nd Airborne at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, North Carolina. CPT Burrier was a 2004 graduate of Catoctin High School, and a 2008 graduate of The Citadel in Charleston, […]
James Rada, Jr. Jeremy Murphy (pictured right) was born and raised in Emmitsburg, graduating from Catoctin High in 1998. He visited both Catoctin Mountain Park and Gettysburg National Military Park on field trips and summer trips, never realizing that he would grow up to become the chief law enforcement officer for the Gettysburg National Military […]
Thurmont Thespians Hold Auditions for 2015 Fall Show The Thurmont Thespians are proud to announce auditions for their fall show, God’s Favorite, a comedy by Neil Simon and directed by Matthew Bannister. Auditions will be held at St. John’s Lutheran Church, located on 15 N. Church Street in Thurmont, on Tuesday, September 1, at 7:00 […]
Hometown Author, Allison B. Hanson, will be signing books on Saturday, September 12, 2015, from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., at the Blue Ridge Summit Free Library, located at 15055 Summit Plaza in Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania. Come out to meet the author as she introduces the first book in the Blue Ridge Romance Series, When Least […]
James Rada, Jr. Emmitsburg Commissioner Tim O’Donnell was recently biking along the Emmitsburg Multi-User Trails, something he does multiple times a week. Whenever he meets someone on the trail whom he doesn’t know, he “puts on his commissioner hat” and stops to talk to them about where they are from and how they like the […]
Grace Eyler On August 15, 2015, the U.S. Crossbow Club (USCC) celebrated its 2nd Annual Awards Banquet. Located on Tower Road in Thurmont, members from across Maryland, and as far away as Ohio, joined together to share stories of their crossbow hunting adventures, to display their mounted trophy animals, and to receive awards for their […]
School Bells are Ringing Across the County James Rada, Jr. Frederick County students headed back to school on Monday, August 24. Nearly every school saw new faces among the faculty and staff. Thurmont Primary School Thurmont Primary School is the only school in the area not seeing any staffing changes this year. All of the […]
Emmitsburg Baseball Celebrates 60th Anniversary Deb Spalding In 1955, Articles of Incorporation for the Emmitsburg Little League stated the objective of the league to be, “to implant firmly in the boys of the community the ideals of good sportsmanship, honesty, loyalty, courage and reverence so that they may be finer, stronger, and happier boys and […]
by Valerie Nusbaum Happy September I’ve heard and read that happiness is a choice we make. According to the experts, we can wake up in the morning and choose to be happy or we can choose not to be. Apparently, it’s up to us whether we see the glass as half full or half empty. […]
by Chris O’Connor There’s More to Bonnie than Postage Stamps Sabillasville resident Bonnie DeLauter is a self-described social butterfly who loves to talk. Many know her as a hard-working employee of the United States Postal Service (USPS), who runs the post office in Cascade and who is a member of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in […]
by Jim Houck, Jr. U.S. Army Private Alfred Woodrow Clark 102 Years Young Born June 13, 1913, in Washington, D.C., to Henry and Edith Clark, was a boy they named Alfred Woodrow. Alfred’s family had a tradition of giving newborns of the family a nickname. His family was together nine days after he was born […]
Buck Reed, The Supermarket Gourmet This summer, I did not have a grill to work with, so I have been hitting the Frederick barbeque circuit. I would mention names, but nobody is paying me to advertise them, so at least I can be honest. (Apparently, honesty is somehow linked to an economic factor in my […]
Christine Schoenemann (Maccabee) Misunderstood But Beautiful (Part 2): Tall Natives and Useful Pests I just got in from collecting Japanese beetles from wild evening primrose flowers, which are growing throughout my property. By 7:00 a.m., the bees are already busy on the yellow flowers, and the beetles are just waking up. Slowly, I knock them […]
by James Rada, Jr. Bessie Darling’s Murder Haunts Us Still When the mail train from Baltimore stopped in Thurmont on Halloween, more than the mail was delivered. George F. Schultz, a sixty-two-year-old employee with Maryland Health Department, left the train. Schultz hired Clarence Lidie and his taxi to give him a ride to the Valley […]
Deb Spalding Catoctin Mountain Park Superintendent, Mel Poole, will retire on August 25, 2015, having completed an adventurous thirty-seven year career with the National Park Service (NPS). When summarizing his contributions, Poole let out a chuckle. Correction, it was more of a flat-out laugh. I soon understood why as he reviewed the many roles he’s […]
Deb Spalding The 9th Annual Barnstormers Tour and Plein Air Paint-Out was held on Saturday, June 13, 2015. Local artist Rebecca Pearl was one of thirty-five artists to participate. The event was sponsored by the Frederick County Landmarks Foundation as a fundraiser to support the preservation of barns in the Frederick County area. The day’s […]
Planning Fireworks Show for Next Year’s Heritage Day Event On the heels of a successful Emmitsburg Heritage Day event by the Emmitsburg Lions Club, and kudos for pulling off a fun and complete event a day later than planned due to heavy rain, planning is actually underway for next year’s event. In cooperation with the […]
The 1st Annual Thurmont Shop Hop is being presented on August 15, 2015, by participating businesses: At Home Primitives, Catoctin Hope Chest, Emma Jean’s General Store, Eyler Stables Flea Market, Mountain Memories, and Pam’s Rusty Treasures. On August 15, from 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., participants must visit designated merchants to earn discount coupons and also can […]
James Rada, Jr. You can be forgiven if you missed the opening of the new Dollar General Store at 501 E. Main Street in Emmitsburg. The doors opened on June 28, the same day that Emmitsburg Community Heritage Day was being held. “A lot of times we have a soft opening and then have a […]