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Currently viewing the category: "Columns"
Labor Day — Not Just Another Day Off Work
By goodNewsBanner On · Add Comment · In Columns
by Mitchell Tester, College Student
We all think of Labor Day as getting a day off work on the first Monday of September every year, but what does it really mean?
The first Labor Day occurred on September 5, 1882, in New York City. On that day, 10,000 workers took unpaid time to march from City Hall to Union Square, starting the tradition of Labor Day parades. This was done to celebrate the achievements of American workers and their ability to strive for greatness and hard work. Although the first technical celebration of Labor Day was in 1882 in New York City, it was actually Oregon that became the first state to recognize Labor Day. In 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed it into law as a federal holiday.
It is an interesting tale as to who first proposed the holiday for workers. Although, two men are most likely responsible for the founder of Labor Day.
The first man, Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and co-founder of American Federation of Labor, was said to suggest that we should have a day for celebrating the laboring class and to honor those “who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold.” (dol.gov).
Recent research, though, leads us to the idea that a man by the name of Matthew Maguire, secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists, proposed the idea for the holiday in 1882 as the secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York.
At any rate, though, no matter who we have to thank for the national holiday, we should all learn to respect and appreciate the working class of America, not only on Labor Day but every day, for it is the working class who built America.
Heroes: Here, There, and Everywhere
By goodNewsBanner On · Add Comment · In Columns
Lion Ruth Heaney
Heroes. They are here in the Catoctin High Student Government Association and Unified Generation Club. Together, these clubs hosted an event, netting $5,000 to benefit the Special Olympics of Maryland.
There are dogs and people who work together to perform heroic acts. One example is Trakr, a German Shepherd, and his handler. Together, they located the last survivor of the 9/11 attack. According to www.firerescue1.com, more than 300 dogs were used in the 9/11 rescue efforts. Toby, a Golden Retriever, kept a Maryland woman from losing consciousness when an apple got lodged in her throat. The American Kennel Association lists Toby as one of the 10 real-life tales of heroic dogs.
Then, there is Anita, a Golden Retriever, who is a Hero Dog to Joe. Joe is a Veteran four-year Marine Corp magazine gunner and a former firefighter in Montgomery County. Anita and Joe came together through Hero Dog, Inc., a Maryland 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Their mission is to improve “…the quality of life of our nation’s heroes …” and to enhance “… the services of community organizations by placing assistance dogs with customized training and lifetime support.” Anita is a hero to Joe. Good days are good, but bad days can also become good days as Anita allows Joe to go out and do the things he wants to do.
Everyone is invited to meet Joe and Anita at the Thurmont Lions Club meeting on September 12. This is a chance to sit back and watch as Joe explains and demonstrates the role of Anita in his life. The special bond between Joe and Anita is heartwarming.
There are other heroes, past and present. There is the first-known female firefighter, Molly Williams, “who took her place with the men on drag-ropes during the blizzard of 1818.” According to www.firerescue1.com, it is a reminder that people from all walks of life—Army Special Forces, Marine and Vietnam Veterans, volunteer firefighters, a WTC maintenance worker, NYPD, a president of a Medical Device company—were heroes on that fateful day.
There are firefighters and other personnel away from their families for unknown periods of time as they battle the Park Fire. It began on July 25, 2024, near Chico, California, and is still affecting lives in four different California counties.
Save September 25th for Chip Jewell, an accomplished man, active in Frederick County fire/rescue service. He served on the command staff for the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend. Mr. Jewell will dress in past firefighter’s uniforms and share his knowledge from his 2022 book History of Fire Companies in Frederick County, Maryland. This is an evening for the family.
Both these events are free and open to the public at the St. John’s Lutheran Church, located at 15 N. Main Street in Thurmont.
Come join the fun at 6:30 p.m. Meet Joe, Anita, and Chip Jewell—heroes in Maryland!
The Best Time to Start a Financial Plan is Now
By goodNewsBanner On · Add Comment · In Columns
by Tricia Bush, CPA, CFP®, Partner, Bestgate Advisors
Understanding Life Insurance
What You Need To Know
Life insurance is one of those financial tools that you’ve heard of and know you probably need but aren’t sure where to start. It’s easy to put off or ignore, but having the right life insurance policy can make a world of difference for your family in a time of need. In this article, we’ll break down the basics of life insurance, explain the differences between term life insurance and whole life insurance, recommend how much coverage the average family should have, and help you determine whether you even need life insurance.
What Is Life Insurance?
At its core, life insurance is a contract between you and an insurance company. In exchange for regular payments (known as premiums), the insurance company promises to pay a lump sum, called a death benefit, to your beneficiaries if you pass away during the term of the policy. This money can help cover funeral costs, pay off debts, replace lost income, or support your family’s future needs, such as funding your children’s education.
Term Life Insurance vs. Whole Life Insurance
When shopping for life insurance, you’ll likely encounter two main types: term life insurance and whole life insurance. Understanding the differences between them is crucial for making the right choice for your situation.
1. Term Life Insurance
Term life insurance is the simplest and often the most affordable type of life insurance. As the name suggests, this policy covers you for a specific term or period—usually between 10 and 30 years. If you pass away during this period, your beneficiaries receive the death benefit. If you outlive the term, the policy expires, and no benefit is paid.
Pros of Term Life Insurance
Affordability: Term life insurance generally has lower premiums, making it an attractive option for families on a budget.
Simplicity: The policies are straightforward, with no complicated investment components or hidden fees.
Flexibility: You can choose a term that aligns with your financial obligations, such as until your mortgage is paid off or your children are financially independent.
Cons of Term Life Insurance
• Temporary Coverage: Once the term ends, you no longer have coverage unless you renew or purchase a new policy, which can be more expensive as you age.
• No Cash Value: Term life insurance does not accumulate cash value, so if you don’t pass away during the term, you won’t see any return on your premiums.
2. Whole Life Insurance
Whole life insurance, on the other hand, is a type of permanent life insurance. It covers you for your entire life, as long as you continue to pay the premiums. In addition to the death benefit, whole life insurance includes a savings component, known as the cash value, which grows over time. This cash value can be borrowed against or withdrawn, although doing so may reduce the death benefit.
Pros of Whole Life Insurance
• Lifelong Coverage: As long as you pay your premiums, your beneficiaries will receive a death benefit, regardless of when you pass away.
• Cash Value: The policy accumulates cash value over time, which you can access while you’re still alive.
• Fixed Premiums: Your premium payments generally remain the same throughout the life of the policy.
Cons of Whole Life Insurance
• Higher Cost: Whole life insurance is significantly more expensive than term life insurance. The higher premiums can strain a family’s budget, especially if you’re paying for coverage you don’t really need.
• Complexity: The policies are more complicated, with fees, penalties for withdrawing cash value, and often lower returns on the cash value compared to other investments.
• Overselling as an Investment: Whole life insurance is often marketed as a good investment, but it typically doesn’t deliver the best returns compared to more straightforward investment vehicles.
How Much Life Insurance Does the Average Family Need?
Determining how much life insurance you need depends on your specific circumstances. A common rule of thumb is to have coverage that is 7 to 10 times your annual income. For example, if you earn $50,000 per year, you should consider a policy that provides $350,000 to $500,000 in coverage.
However, this is just a starting point. You should also consider:
• Outstanding Debts: Factor in your mortgage, car loans, credit card balances, and other debts that your family would need to pay off.
• Income Replacement: Calculate how many years your family would need to replace your income to maintain their standard of living.
• Future Expenses: Think about future costs, such as college tuition for your children or your spouse’s retirement.
• Funeral Expenses: The average funeral can cost between $7,000 and $10,000, so it’s essential to include this in your calculations.
Who Needs Life Insurance?
Life insurance is not one-size-fits-all, and not everyone needs a policy. Here are some guidelines to help you decide whether life insurance is right for you.
You Need Life Insurance If…
• You Have Dependents: If you have a spouse, children, or other family members who rely on your income, life insurance is crucial to ensure they are financially secure if something happens to you.
• You Have Significant Debt: If you have a mortgage, car loan, or other debts, life insurance can prevent your family from being burdened with these payments.
• You Want to Leave a Legacy: Life insurance can be a way to leave an inheritance or charitable donation, even if you don’t have substantial assets.
You May Not Need Life Insurance If…
• You’re Single with No Dependents: If no one depends on your income and you have enough savings to cover your funeral expenses, life insurance may not be necessary.
• You’re Financially Independent: If your savings, investments, and other assets are sufficient to cover your family’s needs, life insurance may not be essential.
• You’re Retired with a Spouse Who Can Support Themselves: If your spouse has enough income or assets to live comfortably without your financial support, life insurance might not be needed.
Beware of the Sales Pitch
It’s important to be cautious when shopping for life insurance, especially if you’re considering whole life insurance. Insurance agents may push whole life policies because they earn higher commissions on them, but these policies aren’t always the best choice for everyone. The idea of having lifelong coverage and a built-in savings component can sound too good to be true—and, in many cases, it is.
Conclusion
Life insurance is a vital part of financial planning. Understanding the differences between term and whole life insurance, assessing your family’s needs, and making informed decisions can provide peace of mind knowing that your loved ones will be protected. Before signing on the dotted line, make sure the policy you choose truly meets your needs—without stretching your budget or buying into promises that don’t deliver.
“Observations from the Woodpile”
By goodNewsBanner On · Add Comment · In Columns
Jeff Yocum
Prologue
Observations from the Woodpile” is a collection of essays bundled together and given as a birthday present for my wife, Nancy, in 1997. Twenty-seven years have passed since the collection was given. The two main subjects of the essays, my sons Justus and Jacob, have grown into men with families of their own.
Rising Water
Along about the second week in January 1996, we had a blizzard that dumped about three feet of snow on us. You could barely tell where the wood was. The boys and I had nearly finished the woodpile and felt pretty good about our industriousness, but the snow was just too deep to do any more cutting. Besides, we had our hands full just digging out.
Despite all the work the snow caused, there was considerable satisfaction in the scenic and acoustic quality of the snow. That much snow swallows all other sounds so well that there’s nothing left but your own labored breath and thoughts.
After a few days, the roads were clear enough to travel and enough paths had been blazed that life was returning to normal. The whole family had spent evenings together shoveling snow off the roofs of the barn and the house, out of the drive and walks. It was a good stretch of “quality time” with the kids. As it turned out, we needn’t have bothered.
During the afternoon of January 18, a weather front with heavy, warm rain moved into the whole snowbound region. The rain fell, melting the snow, and all the water rushed into the creeks and rivers. The following day, I received a call at work from my daughter. She had been released from school early because of the potential for flooding in the area. Her voice was stressed as she described the scene from our kitchen window.
The little creek (Owens Creek) next to us had suddenly grown into a river. It had risen enough to make an island of the covered bridge perched upon its abutments. I left for home immediately.
The drive home was filled with visions of disaster and mayhem. I tried to remember the exact wording of my flood insurance. Then it dawned on me that the cut and spit wood was all stacked less than twenty-five yards from the creek. I had one vision after that: nearly five cords of firewood bobbing along for miles.
I reached home just as the water crested. It was impressive, but not to the point of real danger. The stacks of wood were surrounded by water, but it wasn’t deep enough to move them. A couple of hours later, the water receded.
The evening news showed scenes from all over the region of the destruction and damage. I thought about my fixation on the possible loss of all that wood. It could have all been replaced for less than $600. I felt a little embarrassed by my concern.
However, after thinking about it, I realized that there was something else about the wood that concerned me more. The thought of losing all the time and effort the boys and I had invested really bothered me. Justus and Jacob had worked more like men than the boys they were, and they were proud of their achievements. I was proud of them.
I no longer use the field next to the creek as the wood lot. I’m a little more protective of my investments.
Looking Back
By goodNewsBanner On · Add Comment · In Columns
Hoof and Mouth Disease Hits Local Farm
In the fall of 1908, the State of Maryland started killing cattle in Frederick and Carroll counties in an effort to protect residents from falling ill.
Hoof and mouth disease first appeared on H. M. Kneller’s farm in Lineboro, where it was reported that his entire herd was affected. It is an infectious and sometimes fatal disease that attacks cloven-hoofed animals. It causes a high fever that lasts for days and forms blisters in the animal’s mouth and near the hoofs. If the blisters near the hoofs rupture, it may cause lameness.
“The meat of the infected animals, it is said, is not particularly dangerous as food for mankind, although it is by no means fit to eat; but the milk from infected cows is dangerous, and the disease may be spread to human beings through butter or cheese as well,” the Frederick News reported.
The cause of the outbreak was traced to a single cow that arrived among a railcar full of cattle from Buffalo, New York.
“To stamp out this disease, which it is said attacks animals only having cloven hoofs, the U. S. and State officials have taken every precaution, quarantining the farm and entire state,” the Catoctin Clarion reported.
The State of Maryland, in consultation with the federal government, instituted a strict quarantine for the farm. The animals were limited in their movements and even the residents of the farm faced “severe restrictions,” according to the Frederick News. Susceptible animals were not allowed to cross the state lines.
The initial belief was that all the animals on the Kneller Farm would need to be killed. However, as the outbreak seemed to be contained, it was decided that only the cattle and hogs would need to be killed.
This did not sit well among the local farmers, who argued that the animals could recover from the disease. However, the government argued that while that was the case, it would also require that the state stay in quarantine for six months or more until it was certain that all the infected animals had recovered and there were no new cases.
Then, another problem arose, when infected cattle were found on a nearby farm owned by W. L. Wentz. Six of his seven cattle were infected. Because of the nearness of the Kneller Farm, it was initially thought that one of Kneller’s cattle was the cause, but it was determined that another animal on the train from Buffalo, perhaps the same one that infected Kneller’s cattle, had infected Wentz’s.
The government decided to proceed with the killing of Kneller’s infected animals. It had to be delayed, though, because Dr. F. H. Mackie, the state veterinarian, couldn’t find anyone local who was willing to dig the six-foot-deep pit that was needed. The locals did not support the government’s decision to kill all the animals. Mackie had to hire a contractor from Pennsylvania to come in and dig the pit.
Mackie then oversaw the killing and burial of 24 cattle and 52 hogs. About 50 area farmers gathered on the county road that ran next to the farm and about 100 yards from the burial pit, which was about 10 feet by 40 feet and 7 feet deep.
“The killing began at 1 and was finished at 5 o’clock. The hogs were thrown on top of the cattle in the pit and a thick layer of quick lime spread over the carcasses. The hole was filled, then earth being piled up in a mound,” The Baltimore Sun reported.
Although the chickens weren’t killed, they all had to be dipped in a disinfecting solution. The barn, barnyard, and hog pen were also all thoroughly disinfected.
“The Kneller farm will probably be quarantined until every trace of the disease is eradicated by disinfection,” according to The Sun.
The quarantine was eventually lifted near Christmas, just in time for the holidays. The Sun reported, “The effect of the quarantine is especially noticeable in Washington by the scarcity of veal, very little being on the market. What there is available is said to be bringing high prices.”
Although Kneller was partially responsible for the high prices, he didn’t benefit from them. He was reimbursed $1,300.83 for the lost livestock ($805.20 for the 24 cattle and $495.03 for the 52 hogs). The State of Maryland paid one-third of the cost, and the United States Department of Agriculture paid the other two-thirds.
Photo shows the effect of Hoof and Mouth disease on an animal’s mouth.
Look Up
By goodNewsBanner On · Add Comment · In Columns
As we learned last month, the Sun and stars alike are fascinating celestial objects. They produce the energy that allows us to exist, while varying greatly in size while doing so. To understand stars is to understand the lives that they lead. I will be breaking stars into two categories. First, I will lay out the life the Sun will have and stars similar to it, which will be denoted by “M8-.”
This means that any star from 0.8 of the Sun’s mass (has to be larger than 0.8 of the Suns mass; any smaller star dies before it gets the chance to live, becoming a brown dwarf) to eight times the mass of the Sun will be discussed first, denoted by “M8-”. While the big stars are anything that is bigger than eight times the mass of the Sun, which will be denoted by “M8+.” M8+ and M8- stars live much of their lives the same in the beginning phase, although, much later in life is when they differ. Let us discuss the smaller stars, M8-.
M8- stars, such as our Sun, start life as any other star, in an interstellar cloud. This interstellar cloud eventually starts to grow desnser. These dense clumps are usually caused by disturbances in the clouds from neighboring clouds, exploding stars, and other celestial events or objects. Pushing the material close enough till it is caught by neighboring materials’ gravitational pull. To understand it better, I think of how a rolling snowball will continue to collect snow, becoming larger and larger as it rolls down a hill. This gas clump begins to collapse due to the gravitational pull of the collecting material. The dense clump is then turned into a protostar when it grows big enough, beginning to rotate. The protostar then has bipolar outflows, one on each side of the magnetic poles, causing a clearing of most gas and dust around the infant star, which then goes into the T-Tauri phase. A star, like our own, uses its hydrogen to create helium through nuclear fusion. This particular type of nuclear fusion is what makes our star, the Sun, heat the Earth for as long as we are alive. After T-Tauri heats up enough, it starts its longest phase, the same phase our Sun is in, called the Main Sequence. Due to everything in our universe being temporary, an M8- star, like any other star, will run out of its supply hydrogen that is being fused into helium. While the M8- star tries to stay going, it then reaches for anywhere to use up the remaining hydrogen, which is not in the core anymore but in the layer surrounding the core. This causes the distinct bloating of a red giant. The M8- star can become 20 to 100 times bigger than our Sun due to the bloating of its layers. It is so big, in fact, that when this happens to the Sun (which it will in 5 billion or so years), it will reach far out to even Venus, possibly coming close to engulfing Earth. Scientists are actually still not sure if the Earth will be engulfed or if it will orbit dangerously close. No matter what the case, though, it is estimated that life on Earth will absolutely cease to exist in 5 billion years. The core of the red giant is still heating up, more than ever actually. The star is not in hydrostatic equilibrium as it once was in the main sequence phase; its core is now being compressed due to the lack of pressure against gravity, continuing to heat it up. After this, the M8- star then turns into a yellow giant. This is due to the depletion of hydrogen and its fusing of helium to keep it going. After its short yellow giant phase, it turns back into a red giant once more. The core is now reaching even greater temps from the increasing contraction. The red giant finally has no more hydrogen or helium left to fuse, and the star dies.
Due to the continuing contraction of the core, it ejects the outer layers of the star, leaving only what we call a white dwarf behind. In the blast, heavier elements are created such as carbon, which is an essential ingrediant for life. The white dwarf, now in hydrostatic equilibrium once more, is figuratively dead though, as alive as an asteroid in a sense. It is only luminous due to its residual heat from many years of nuclear fusion and past contraction of the core. The ejection of the outer layers creates a planetary nebula. This nebula can spread one light year across, and is the birth place of stars just like the one that just died.
The M8+ star’s life is much shorter due to it using up hydrogen much faster due to its increased temperature. Instead of the long-winded 10-billion-year cycle of the Sun, it spans a couple 100 million years, depending on the mass of the M8+ star, of course.
A M8+ star lives a similar life to any other star. Instead of a T-Tauri phase though, which is for stars of lower mass, high mass stars go through what is called a Herbig Ae/Be (HAeBe) phase.
Another important difference to note is that once a high-mass star leaves its main sequence, it goes straight into a yellow giant, while a M8- star goes from red giant, yellow giant, back to red giant before dying.
The M8+ star goes straight into the fusing of helium because of its increased temperature. After the depletion of its helium, it becomes a red giant, much larger than the red giants of M8- stars. Due to the increasing temperature, the star is able to fuse heavier elements than hydrogen and helium; this process is called nucleosynthesis. This occurs after it runs out of hydrogen and helium. The M8- star counterpart would turn into a white dwarf, surrounded by a planetary nebula, after running out of hydrogen and helium because it is not hot enough to fuse heavier elements, therefore, it dies. The M8+ fusing heavier elements causes it to be hotter and hotter. The core is then contracting more and more due to gravity and lack of hydrostatic equilibrium. The core becomes an iron core, iron being the heaviest element the star can fuse. As the inward contraction of gravity continues, the electrons and protons form a neutron core, and the star will go supernova due to its complete inability to support itself, blasting the heavier elements (and creating even heavier ones in the blast) into interstellar space in a catastrophic explosion.
M8+ on the smaller size will then be formed into a neutron star. This is formed due to the pressure in the core of the M8+ star, so much heat that it squishes electrons and protons into neutrons. Bigger M8+ stars will also go supernova, blasting even heavier elements into space. These larger supernovas form the infamous black holes, celestial objects with so much mass that even the speed of light cannot escape it, light being the fastest thing in the known universe.
As previously stated, planetary nebulas are the birthplace of stars. In fact, usually at the death of any star, it gives back most of what it took to form years ago as a protostar. M8- stars are known for being a large contributor of carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen, which are essential for life.
Supernovas are important as well. Due to their fusion of heavier elements, they allow for planets like Earth to be born. Heavy elements are created such as zinc, iron, silver, tin, gold, mercury, lead, platinum, and uranium through these celestial events.
These elements and other heavy ones are what create planets such as the Earth, and all of us here on Earth. You, me, and my German shepherd puppy, sitting in her bed next to me as I type this, is all thanks to the death of massive stars and smaller ones alike. We are created by what occurs in the universe. If stars such as our own and bigger stars did not die, we would not be here today.
This fact was what got me initially interested in the world of astronomy. It made me feel so much more connected to the world around me and above me. The transiency of stars, giving us the ingedients to be alive through their deaths, is the way for the universe to explore and learn about itself through us.
I hope this does not scare you to know everything in this universe is temporary but, instead, makes you want to explore it further.
After all, just like the Pink Floyd song, “Fat Old Sun,” speaks to us about reflection on moments passing, so does the Sun as it goes down and disappears, reminding us of the passing of time. Look up to remind yourself not to always look into the future or into the past, but to take time to be in the moment, even though it may be fleeting.
once upon a time…
By goodNewsBanner On · Add Comment · In Columns
James Rada, Jr.
Note: Newspaper excerpts are as they appeared in their respective issues.
September 1924, 100 Years Ago
Dentist Leaves For Africa For Big Game Hunt
The dream of every hunter, from the boy who takes pot shots at squirrels to the man who hunts moose and bear, will soon be realized by Dr. Bernard Francis O’Toole, of Thurmont, Frederick county, who sailed Saturday from New York to hunt big game in Africa.
His trip will take him to the virtually unexplored parts of the Belgian Congo—to the Mountains of the Moon, along the mysterious Lualaba river, into the Iturea Forest, where the pygmies live. For a year or more, Dr. O’Toole will remain in the heart of the Dark Continent, collecting specimens of insects, mammals and birds..
– Hagerstown Morning Herald, September 15, 1924
Death Accidental, Verdict In Thurmont Investigation
A coroner’s jury which conducted an investigation into the death of Robert Wilhide, 14-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. William Wilhide, of Thurmont, who was found dead in the woods near Thurmont with a bullet wound in his breast, rendered a verdict of accidental death. The inquest was held this morning at 10 o’clock in the office of Justice Cadow at Thurmont.
Young Wilhide had been missing from his home since Saturday morning, when he shouldered his gun and informed his parents that he was going hunting in the adjacent mountains. Having made previous trips of this nature, consent was given and the lad went on his way.
…Opinions divided over the manner in which the boy met his death. Some seem to think that he met with foul play and others adhere to the theory that young Wilhide stumbled and the falling gun went off, the shot piercing his breast above the heart. The boy’s body was found four miles west of Thurmont..
– Frederick News, September 30, 1924
September 1949, 75 Years Ago
Progress Being Made in Forming New League
A delegation of the Emmitsburg Baseball Assn. met with other representatives of the proposed Mason-Dixon League Monday night in Westminster. Represented at the baseball caucus were Emmitsburg, Taneytown, McSherrystown, Westminster, Reisterstown, Frederick and Hanover. By-laws were drawn up, player limit set, registration deadline set and number of players on rosters determined.
A decision was arrived at on the player roster question when it was agreed to allow a manager to have 25 players listed during any one season. Under the proposed setup clubs can obtain players from any distance as well as the use of college boys. No club can use another player living within five miles of the town he is to play for unless that player is given permission or release by the manager. In case of any disputes over the eligibility of any players or protests, a three-man arbitration.
– Emmitsburg Chronicle, September 2, 1949
Penn-Maryland Baseball League is Reorganized
Seven teams of the Penn-Maryland Baseball League repudiated the Ralph Coe regime Tuesday night at a meeting held in the Firemen’s Hall, and laid the groundwork for the reorganization of the circuit. Delegations were present from Taneytown, Thurmont, Littlestown, Hanover, McSherrystown, Blue Ridge Summit and Emmitsburg. The insurgent body stated hey were thoroughly disgusted with the present setup of the league and appointed Bernard Weaver, Littlestown, as temporary chairman of the group.
The insurrection was created by the Emmitsburg Baseball Association after it became riled when Ralph Coe, ex-president of the league, stripped the local team of all its victories, for no apparent reason. Emmitsburg called the meeting together.
– Emmitsburg Chronicle, September 23, 1949
September 1974, 50 Years Ago
Council Discusses Garbage Problem
The garbage dump vs. sanitary landfill question was again discussed at the Emmitsburg Town Council meeting Monday night. Struggling with what this area will do with garbage and trash after September 30, the commissioners expressed concern as to what will happen to garbage if dumps are not established in the nearby area.
According to Charles Wetzel, major trash hauler locally, the new proposed sanitary landfill near Woodsboro which he is supposed to use starting October 1, does not look as if it will be ready by that date. In addition, he said that he did not know if he would be able to carry some items, such as large tree limbs and discarded appliances, to the new dump.
Town Council reviewed a letter which Wetzel has received from the Environmental Protection Agency Office in Philadelphia. The letter warned that all burning and use of the dump which Wetzel now operates must cease by the end of September.
– Emmitsburg Chronicle, September 12, 1974
VHC Prepares For Fire Safety Week
Forty-two members attended the monthly meeting of the Vigilant Hose Company held
Tuesday evening, Sept. 10 with President James Fitzgerald presiding. Chief Eugene E. Myers reported that twelve calls were answered during the previous month, along with two service calls and one drill.
Crystals have been secured for the four walkie-talkies to be used by the fire place, 300 feet of 3 inch hose has been ordered for use on trucks 51 and 62. A new section has been added to the by-laws under Article V. It will be section V and states “15 members shall constitute a quorum at business meetings.”
Members voted to let the Emmitsburg Lions Clubs hold their meetings in the company’s meeting room each second and fourth Monday.
– Emmitsburg Chronicle, September 19, 1974
September 1999, 25 Years Ago
Rosensteel Adds Outdoor Studio
A visit to Bob Rosensteel’s new outdoor studio is similar to a tour of movie scenery stages in miniature. Bob has transformed the backyard of his home at 110 DePaul Street into a wonderland of 30 various settings in which his clients may choose to be photographed.
There is a beach complete with sand and sea grasses; a water fountain cascading into a stone enclosed pond; a weather-beaten porch made from wood of old apple crates featuring an antique whiskey barrel and a milk container; a wagon axle from the 1800s; a graffiti-painted fence announcing the “Class of 2000”; a barn complete with straw piles and many other unique locales. Future plans include an old-fashioned gas station and a waterfront scene. The beach scene, fence, and old porch have proved favorites among the high school seniors while the fountain and pond create stunning backdrops for bridal pictures.
– The Emmitsburg Regional Dispatch, September 1999
Mount Starts Accelerated Degree Program at Frederick Site
Adults who want to finish college now have an exciting new option. Mount St. Mary’s College, a leader in Maryland higher education for more than 190 years, is offering its first accelerated degree program for adult learners at a newly opened site in the 270 Technology Park next to FSK Mall in Frederick. The program is designed for adults, 25 or over, who have some previous college experience and want to complete their undergraduate degrees.
The first classes, leading to a B.S. degree in business, start the week of October 4. Classes meet once a week in the evening and run for either 5-week or 8-week sessions. The first two classes are “Principles of Marketing” and “Business & Society.”
– The Emmitsburg Regional, Dispatch, September 1999
Taste of the Past
By goodNewsBanner On · Add Comment · In Catoctin Cookin', Columns
Maxine Troxell
With the upcoming Thurmont & Emmitsburg Community Show, I wanted to find a winning recipe to share. This recipe was the Grand-Prize winner in the 1968 Pillsbury Bake-Off. Happy baking, and I hope to see your cake at the Thurmont & Emmitsburg Community Show Bake Sale on September 6 at 7:30 p.m.
Nutty Graham Picnic Cake
Ingredients
Cake
2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 cup (14 squares) finely crushed graham cracker
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup margarine or butter (melted)
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup orange juice
3 eggs
Glaze
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon margarine or butter
¼ cup chopped nuts
5 teaspoons milk
¾ cup powdered sugar
Directions
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease and flour a 12-cup fluted tube pan or 10-inch tube pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine all cake ingredients, except nuts; beat 3 minutes at medium speed.
3. By hand, stir in 1 cup nuts. Pour batter into greased and floured pan.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool upright in pan 15 minutes; invert onto serving plate. Cool 1 hour or until completely cooled.
5. In small saucepan, combine 2 tablespoons brown sugar, milk, and 1 tablespoon margarine; cook over low heat just until sugar is dissolved, stirring constantly.
6. Remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar; blend until smooth. Drizzle over cake; sprinkle with ¼ cup nuts.
Eat well feel good
By goodNewsBanner On · Add Comment · In Catoctin Cookin', Columns
Zucchini Scampi
Active Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Egg-Free Sesame-Free Vegetarian Nut-Free Gluten-Free
Ingredients
2 zucchini (10 oz. each), trimmed and halved lengthwise
2 small summer squash (5 oz. each), trimmed and halved lengthwise
1/8teaspoon salt, plus ¼ teaspoon, divided
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 lemon, halved
½ cup dry white wine
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper, plus more for garnish
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Directions
Line a large rimmed baking sheet with paper towels. Cut 2 halved zucchini and 2 halved small summer squash into 2-inch pieces; place flesh-side up on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with ⅛ teaspoon salt; let stand until water leaches out, 8 to 10 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels..
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 lemon halves, flesh-side down; cook, undisturbed, until charred, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the pan.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini and squash, flesh-side down; cook, undisturbed, until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook until fork-tender, about 2 more minutes. Sprinkle with ⅛ teaspoon salt; transfer to a serving platter.
Add ½ cup wine, 3 sliced garlic cloves, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper and the remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt to the skillet; cook over medium heat, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan, until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add 5 tablespoons cubed butter; cook, stirring constantly, until well incorporated, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Spoon the sauce over the squash. Squeeze the charred lemons over the top; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon parsley. Garnish with crushed red pepper, if desired.
The Supermarket Gourmet
By goodNewsBanner On · Add Comment · In Catoctin Cookin', Columns
by Buck Reed
The Snackle Box (Patent Pending!)
Is your lunch bag getting a bit boring? Or is lunch in a sit-down restaurant getting too expensive? Let’s face it, even fast food is putting a dent in our wallets! So, why not give a Snackle Box (Patent Pending) a chance? Put a little variety and zip into your noon break.
All you need is one of those boxes found in the sporting goods department that holds fishing lures. Yes, buy a brand new one, as you don’t want a used one that might have actually been on a fishing trip! Then, you figure out what to place in the various compartments. Snap it shut and you have an inexpensive lunch for your break in the day that is far from boring. Here are a few of my favorites:
Sliced Deli Meats. I like mortadella, salami, ham, and capicola, but you are only limited by your deli’s selections. I also like roasted and chilled sliced sausages with some mustard.
Sliced Cheeses. Again, you are only limited by what the deli person has to offer. Don’t be afraid to look for weekly bargains.
Specialty Cheeses. I like Babybel, string cheese, goat cheese, Brie, Camembert, and, if you are so inclined, a nice slice of blue cheese. Pairing them up can be quite a culinarian delight if you use combinations like canned pears for blue cheese or fig or mustard for most everything else. I also like a variety of nuts to go with these. Mixing garlic, spices, and herbs into cream cheese to make my own specialty cheese balls at a fraction of the cost of store-prepared ones.
Salads. Pasta salad might work well here, but macaroni, potato, or Coleslaw would be nice as well. Chicken, tuna, and shrimp are also good choices. Egg salad or even deviled eggs would be a nice addition as well.
Prepared Vegetables. Olives are an easy choice here, and adding some feta cheese can brighten up your midday meal. Roasted peppers, sweet or hot cherry peppers, pepperoncini, and banana peppers can add some heat to your palate and pair well with your deli meats. Some capers, pickled onions, or even whole scallions can also be a big addition to your box. I also like cherry or grape tomatoes, celery, or carrot sticks as well.
Seafood. Sardines or anchovies might not be everyone’s first choice—or a choice at all—but you can always find something to pair them with. I sometimes find shrimp on sale and will put a few boiled and chilled ones in my compartment with a sauce. Sweet Baby Rays dipping sauce is good on just about everything and works well with shrimp or other seafood. (Sweet Baby Rays does not pay me to say that, but if they are reading this, I am open to negotiations!).
Sauces & Spreads. Hummus is a good choice, and even the off-brand ones are pretty good. Also, tapenade, pesto, baba ghanoush, and a good vinaigrette will brighten your Snackle Box.
Crackers. With very little effort you can always find a cracker that is on sale that will work well with your lunch. I also like the Naan bread from our friends from the subcontinent of India. Pair that up with some chutney and you’ve got something going.
Fruit. Add some sliced fresh or canned fruit to your box, and you have a nice dessert, or better, something to pair with your other items. Sliced cantaloupe, strawberries, grapes, or watermelon chunks are a good addition.
Dessert. Adding a slice of cake, a couple of cookies, or a brownie is always a welcome treat. Even if you don’t have it with your lunch, it could be a nice pick-me-up for an afternoon snack. Or perhaps a couple of those so called fun-size candy bars might be a good choice. You can get a few of those from your kids’ trick-or-treat bags next month!
These boxes are only about $5.00 and will probably last your whole career. Working with different flavors does not have to be expensive. Plus, doing this two or three times a week will not only save you a few dollars in the long run, but it will also put some pizzazz into your lunch break.
Did you like this article? Or, do you have an idea for another article? Contact me at Rguyinthekitchen@aol.com with any comments or if you have an idea you’d like to see featured in this column.
Top Left Compartment: Mortadella / Provolone
Second Compartment: Blue Cheese / Pears
Third Compartment: Hummus / Roasted Red Peppers
Fourth Compartment: Black Olives / Strawberries
Big Compartment: Crackers / Oatmeal Cookies / Chocolate Bars.
Veteran Spotlight
By goodNewsBanner On · Add Comment · In Columns, Veteran Spotlight
by Richard D. L. Fulton
Erik W. Hayes
KIA in Iraq
Erik W. Hayes was born on November 14, 1980, at the Gettysburg Hospital, to parents Douglas and Deborah Hayes (subsequently known as Deborah Reckley). Hayes had a younger brother, Bradley, who was born in 1984.
Hayes grew up in Harney and graduated from the Living Word Academy in Blue Ridge Summit in 1998. He was the only student to graduate from that educational institution that year, according to a story published by The Baltimore Sun on December 3, 2004.
The Baltimore Sun had reported that the Living Word Academy is a private school with an annual enrollment of some 30 students, ranging from elementary through high school grade levels.
Following graduation, he was hired at various places of employment, including working on a dairy farm and working for an electrical contractor.
Hayes enlisted in the Army on September 4, just one week before the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that claimed the lives of some 2,977 victims, and left thousands of individuals injured and suffering from the various effects associated with the attacks.
Prior to his enlistment, Hayes had resided with his grandmother, Margaret M. Hayes, and his father in Harney.
He had told family members that he wanted to join the Army, with the intent to use his military veteran’s benefits to help pay for college. He apparently had intended to pursue an education that would enable him to establish a career as an emergency medical technician, according to an email sent to a family friend, The Baltimore Sun had reported.
After his discharge from the Army, Hayes had also planned to continue to help take care of his paraplegic younger brother, Bradley, who had sustained severe head injuries in a “fiery vehicle crash,” according to Legacy.com. The automobile crash had left his brother unable to communicate and confined to a Hagerstown nursing home, where he remained on a “feeder tube,” the (Easton) Star-Democrat had reported.
Upon entering the Army, Hayes was assigned to Fort Benning, Georgia, and then to Vilseck, Germany, as an Army specialist, where he was attached to the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division.
From Germany, he was deployed to Bosnia and then to Kosovo.
He was subsequently deployed to Iraq in 2004.On November 29, Hayes was driving an Army vehicle in Al Miqdadlyah, a town located about 50 miles northeast of Baghdad. According to an article published in The Baltimore Sun on December 3, 2006, Hayes was on duty driving an officer’s vehicle as an officer’s escort.
As Hayes transported the officer through the town, an IED (improvised explosive device) detonated near the vehicle. As a result, Hayes was killed in the explosion, which was only two weeks after his 24th birthday.
The Gettysburg Times had reported that Hayes’ body was returned to the United States via the Dover Air Force Base on December 2.
According to thefallen.militarytimes.com, “More than 200 people jammed the Evangelical Bible Church near Thurmont for a nearly two-hour, open-casket service.” The website also reported, “Everyone stood as a choir sang “Proud to Be an American.” Some people waved small U.S. flags, while others held their hands up to heaven.”
Hayes was interred in the Mountain View Cemetery in Harney.
On April 15, 2017, more than one hundred people were on hand at the State Highway Administration building, where Maryland 140 crosses the Monocacy River, to take part in the dedication of a bridge to memorialize Hayes’ sacrifice and service to his country.
The Baltimore Sun reported that Hayes was the sixth Marylander to die in Iraq in less than 30 days, and the twentieth Marylander to die in the last 20 months.
Army Specialist Erik W. Hayes
Community Veteran Event Board
By goodNewsBanner On · Add Comment · In Columns, Community Veteran Event Board
American Legion Post 168, Thurmont
The Membership Picnic will be held on Sunday, September 8, starting at 1:00 p.m. Doors open at noon. Tickets are $25.00 each and are available at the bar. To purchase a ticket and attend the picnic, your 2024 dues need to be paid and you must be 21 years old. The deadline to purchase your ticket is Sunday, September 1. You MUST show your 2024 membership card at the gate entrance to attend. We are looking forward to a good time and want to thank all the volunteers in advance for all they do for the picnic. This is also a good time to pay your 2025 dues.
Platoon 22 was presented with a check for $7,000 from the 3rd Annual Golf Tournament (shown above). Pictured from left are Allen Middendorff; Alex Uphold, State Farm Thurmont Office; Niki Falzone, Executive Director of Platoon22; Rick Hall; Debra Middendorff; and Carie Stafford.
Octoberfest is quickly approaching, and volunteers are always needed. Please check in with your Officers to see where you can be useful. The Auxiliary is always looking for baked goods. Cookies are a hit, so if you can bake a few dozen, that would be great.
Remember to follow us on Facebook (The American Legion Post 168)for weekly and upcoming events like Pop-up Shops, Veterans Luncheon, and Breakfast with Santa.
“The Patriot’s Pen” Essay Contest
Each year, the VFW Post 6658 Auxiliary in Emmitsburg sponsors a contest, titled “The Patriot’s Pen,” which is open to students in grades 6 through 8.
Students are required to do a typed essay of 300-400 words based on the theme: “My Voice in America’s Democracy.” Monetary prizes are given to the winners on local, state, and national levels. Judging is based on knowledge of theme, theme development, and clarity of ideas.
If interested, please contact Annette Wivell at 240-675-0356 for an entry form. Entry deadline to VFW Post 6658, Emmitsburg, is October 31, 2024.
“Voice of Democracy” Contest
Each year, the VFW Post 6658 in Emmitsburg sponsors a contest, titled “Voice of Democracy,” which is open to students in grades 9 through 12. Students are required to record a 3-5 minute audio essay based on the theme: “Is America Today Our Forefathers’ Vision?”
Monetary prizes are given to the winners on local, state, and national levels. Judging is based on originality, content, and delivery.
If interested, please contact Eric Wivell at 240-675-0346 for an entry form. Entry deadline to VFW Post 6658, Emmitsburg, is October 31, 2024.
healthMatters
By goodNewsBanner On · Add Comment · In Columns
The Benefits of Chromium
by Dr. Thomas K. Lo, Advanced Chiropractic & Nutritional Healing Center
Chromium, a type of chemical element that is actually a hard and brittle metal, is a trace mineral needed by the body in small amounts for healthy functioning.
Chromium is well-researched for blood sugar and diabetes control, heart health, weight management, and brain health. It plays a role in the insulin-signaling pathways that allow our bodies to control the amount of sugar we take in, helping balance blood glucose levels and giving us stable energy.
In addition, chromium is associated with longevity and improved cardiovascular health due to its role in metabolizing fats, in addition to proteins, carbs, and other nutrients.
Chromium is naturally present in many whole foods, including brewer’s yeast, certain kinds of meats, vegetables, potatoes, and whole grains. It enters the body mostly through diet since it’s stored in soil and rocks that penetrate the crops we wind up eating, plus in smaller amounts in the water that we drink.
Deficiency Symptoms
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, chromium deficiency isn’t very common in the U.S. and other developed nations since most people consume enough daily on average to meet or exceed the “adequate intake” amount.
On the other hand, some medical researchers believe chromium deficiency is much more prevalent, especially in people who don’t properly respond to insulin—which is a good deal of the population that’s overweight and eats a poor diet.
People with diabetes and the elderly are more likely to have a chromium deficiency than otherwise healthy adults or children.
When a chromium-based deficiency does occur, common symptoms include:
Poor blood glucose control;
Worsened levels of weak bones and bone loss;
Low energy, fatigue;
Poor skin health;
Higher risk for high cholesterol and heart complications;
Low concentration and poor memory;
Worsened eye health;
Mood changes;
Changes in appetite;
Changes in weight;
Stunted growth and development; and
Delayed time in healing wounds or recovering from surgery.
The established dietary reference intakes of chromium were developed by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences in 1989 and are based on the amount needed by otherwise healthy people, so your exact needs may differ a bit depending on your current health, weight, and level of activity.
Health Benefits
Chromium can help enhance the role of insulin, the critical hormone that controls blood sugar and helps bring glucose into cells where it’s used for bodily energy. It also supports a healthy metabolism and storage of nutrients throughout the body since it can help you better absorb and distribute nutrients from carbohydrates, fats, and proteins found in the foods you eat.
Brewer’s yeast (also called nutritional yeast), for example, is a high source of chromium and has been found to help support the metabolism of sugar (in the form of glucose) within the blood, which is beneficial for preventing glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, and diabetes formation.
One study conducted by the Human Nutrition Research Center U.S. Department of Agriculture found that when individuals being treated for type 2 diabetes were either given a placebo or chromium supplements over a four-month period each day, while continuing to take normal medications and not changing eating habits, insulin values and cholesterol levels decreased significantly in the group given supplemental chromium compared to the placebo group.
Chromium helps reduce high cholesterol. It is needed for the normal metabolism of fats, including cholesterol. Research shows a link between higher chromium intake and healthier arteries and levels of blood cholesterol. Some studies even show that people who die from heart disease tend to have lower levels of chromium in the blood at the time of death.
When researchers at the Department of Medical Education of Mercy Hospital and Medical Center tested the effects of chromium supplementation in adults over a 42-day period, the participants experienced lowered levels of total cholesterol and lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) “bad” cholesterol when taking chromium compared to the placebo group.
Chromium may help prevent weight gain and overeating in the form of chromium picolinate. It has been associated with a reduction in the risk for obesity, less weight gain, and may positively affect food intake. At this time, the exact mechanism by which it affects hunger and weight is still unknown, but some studies find that higher chromium intake is associated with a reduction in adipose tissue (fat accumulation in the body) and better-controlled eating.
One study done by the Biomedical Research Center at the Louisiana State University found that chromium supplements effectively helped modulate food intake in healthy, overweight adult women who
comparing the effects of chromium versus placebo in 42 overweight women over an eight-week period, the group taking chromium daily experienced reduced food intake, reduced hunger levels, fewer fat cravings, and a slight decrease in body weight.
Recent studies highlight the role of healthy insulin response in maintaining brain health and cognitive function into old age. Because chromium can improve glucose levels and insulin response, it may act as a beneficial modulator of brain function and is associated with a reduction of age-related alterations of the brain.
Specifically, it is linked to healthier hypothalamic functions. The hypothalamus is a central part of the autonomic nervous system that helps control body temperature, thirst, hunger, sleep, and emotional activity.
Research suggests that chromium can help keep the hypothalamus in a more youthful state, better regulate appetite in elderly adults, and prevent negative effects on brain neurons caused by aging.
Chromium, because of its beneficial role in controlling blood glucose, may help protect you from age-related eye disorders like glaucoma.
Glaucoma is related to diabetes and is caused by a buildup of fluid in the eye, adding harmful pressure to the eye’s delicate optic nerve, retina, and lens, which can eventually lead to blindness.
Chromium may help protect bones from fractures and osteoporosis by slowing the loss of calcium, so it might be beneficial for preventing bone loss and bone-related disorders that are especially common in older women.
Best Food Sources
According to the USDA, broccoli, grapes, potatoes, garlic, basil, grass-fed beef, turkey, green beans, apples, and bananas, are the best food sources for obtaining more chromium naturally through your diet.
Most nutrition experts agree that food sources are a much healthier way to obtain the right amount of chromium.
As with all nutrients, it is best to obtain enough from natural whole-food sources. This way, you know you’re acquiring the right mix of vitamins and minerals that nature intended.
If you are struggling with health issues, call the Advanced Chiropractic & Nutritional Healing Center at 240-651-1650 for a free consultation. Dr. Lo uses Nutritional Response Testing® to analyze the body to determine the underlying causes of ill or non-optimum health.
The office is located at 7310 Grove Road #107, Frederick, MD. Check out the website at www.doctorlo.com.
Thurmont Senior Center
By goodNewsBanner On · Add Comment · In Columns, Seniors
by Kristen Bodmer
For those going back to school, we have some advice from the Thurmont Senior Center:
To ALL students returning to school, if you see any of the following: a student struggling to make friends; a student being picked on; a student who is new, shy, or not with the “in crowd”; or a student eating lunch alone…BE A LEADER, BE A WARRIOR, say “Hello.” Smile at them. Ask if you can sit with them, include them. You never know what that person is facing—inside or outside of school. Have a great 2024-2025 school year.
Summer is coming to an end, and we are ready to welcome fall at the Thurmont Senior Center, with all of the beautiful leaves changing colors and crisp breezes blowing. We will be spending time together laughing and playing games and would love for you to come join us.
September is full of activities. Take the opportunity to look at the calendar of events we have scheduled in the Community Calendar in this issue. You can also find our calendar on the website at thurmontseniorcenter.org, on Facebook, or come into the center and ask for one. Don’t forget we serve lunch every day at noon. If you are not able to stay, you can just pick up your lunch. We have quite a few people who pick up lunch from the center now. Just remember to call the day before or by 9:15 a.m. on the morning of the lunch.
August was a fun-filled month. We had two exciting Bingos. We had our Potluck and General Meeting, and we had Forever Young come and entertain us. We stretched and exercised, we played Farkle, Hand and Foot, Pinochle, and Poker. We laughed and laughed. We also had coffee, tea, and goodies galore! You just never know how much fun you can have. We would love for you to join us for some fun and fellowship. We have a free balance and strength exercise session daily on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. We love playing games at the Thurmont Senior Center, including Pinochle on Tuesdays, Bunko on the second Thursday of the month, Farkle on the fourth Thursday of the month, and Dominoes on Thursdays. We also play Bingo every first and third Wednesday of the month; if we have a fifth Wednesday, we have a Special Bingo. It is always a fun time, full of laughter and special homemade treats for halftime. I can’t forget to mention coffee since we are told it is the best, so come in and have a cup with us. Just to let you know, we have a whole corner dedicated to exercise. We have two treadmills, a stair climber, and a recumbent bicycle for use during our hours, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. There is no charge to use this equipment.
Some activities may have a minimal cost, but joining the center is absolutely free.
We really love having the community use the center. There are so many different possibilities for renting our space, and the price is very affordable. Call the Thurmont Senior Center to rent for a baby shower, a birthday party, a bridal shower, and much more.
If you are looking for a volunteer opportunity, I would love to talk with you. We are in need of volunteers to pick seniors up and take them to different places in Thurmont, like the grocery store, bank, pharmacy, or the local doctor’s office. This is an opportunity to be on a call list to help out, not necessarily daily, but perhaps once a week.
Just a reminder that Colorfest is coming up, and we will be having our yard sale. If you have items that you would like to donate to the yard sale, we welcome donations.
As always, if you have questions, please don’t hesitate to call us at 301-271-7911.
Hand and Foot being played: Carol Parent, Joan Schaper, Verna Radcliffe, Gale DiSalvo, Blanca Kinek, Joan Follin, and Denise Mayne.
Nancy Popejoy enjoys a nice ripe tomato, donated by Sunny Hill Growers.
A fun game of Pinochle: Nancy Glass, Moe Snyder, Rich Jensen, Dick Glass, Jeannie Schifflet, Angie Hamlin, and Ella McDowell.
Emmitsburg 50+ Center
By goodNewsBanner On · Add Comment · In Columns
BY Caitlyn Kirby
We are heading into September, and it’s a great time to remember how to have some late-summer fun. Come engage, enhance, and enrich yourself with the many activities at the Emmitsburg 50+ Center, including a variety of exercises, crafts, games, and trips. As schedules and lives change during this time of year, it’s a great time for fun and expanding social circles. Hope to see you!
The Emmitsburg 50+ Center offers different options for exercise. There are times for moderate- and low-intensity video exercises with an instructor that occur daily. There is also an “unrulies” pickleball group that meets weekly. If structured exercise is not for you, the center also offers an open gym period that allows guests to utilize the gym for creative exercise or sport. If not any of these options, then maybe come join the walking group for a good morning constitutional.
If exercise is not your thing, we also have game and craft times. For game time, come in and join an ongoing group or game, or bring in your own game. The crafts activities for September include the “Fall Door Decor” on Thursday, September 12, and the Macrame “Make and Take” on Thursday, September 19. Additionally, the acrylics on canvas paint-by-numbers will be returning on Tuesdays; however, days may be negotiable. Also, the stained-glass lab will be returning every Monday. Come and let your creativity move you!
Please keep in mind that through September 30, we are offering Lunch Bunch meals for free for all eligible participants. This is an exciting opportunity to visit the center and bring a friend or to meet new people! We have Lunch Bunch every Monday at noon. All you need to do is call ahead at least three business days in advance to reserve your meal.
Please call the center at 301-600-6350 or email emmitsburgseniorcenter@frederickcountymd.gov if you have any questions.
An Oasis Nearby
By goodNewsBanner On · Add Comment · In Columns
Lion Ruth Heaney
In days long ago, mom and dad were taken care of by their family and might remain in the house where they were reared as they aged. Today, that is not the case. A bit of context may help.
A chart from the U.S. Census Bureau is enlightening: In 1800, 6 percent of the U.S. population was urban and 94 percent was rural. Families on the farms and homesteads were contained units with everything that was needed, including children to help run the farm and take care of family members of different ages, as necessary. Transportation was slow and the doctor traveled to the patient.
Urban population compared to rural population in the same U.S. Census Bureau creeps slowly along, but there are significant shifts.
One consequential change appeared in 1900, when data showed that 40 percent was urban and 60 percent was rural. In 1950, the numbers were reversed: 60 percent was urban and 40 percent was rural. By 1990, 75 percent was urban and 25 percent was rural.
Facts from the website https://www. seniorliving.org/history/1800-1990- changes-urbanrural-us-population/ paint this picture: “The life expectancy of a man ranged from 33 years to 47 in 1900, and very few people made it to old age. Only four percent of people born in 1900 made it to age 85 and 10 to 12 percent to age 65. Old age and senior care were rare.”
In 2022, according to blogs.cdc. gov/NCHS, “The life expectancy at birth for the U.S. population in 2022 was 77.5 years. In the same year, the life expectancy at birth for men is 75 and the life expectancy at birth for females is 81.”
In 1965, Medicare and Medicaid came to be, and medicine felt a seismic shift. The idea of a nursing home began in 1970, and hospice care began in 1974. Today, there are a myriad of possibilities, but assisted senior living is a popular choice.
According to the National Survey of Residential Care Facilities, there are now 31,000 assisted-living facilities nationwide, housing almost 1 million seniors.
Reviewing the senior living options now available to senior citizens can make them and their caregivers throw up their hands in despair. How do they navigate the possibilities open to seniors as they are living longer and in better health thanks to modern medicine?
Fortunately, there are professionals who know the ins and outs of senior living options. Ms. Kristie Kidd is one of those professionals. She has received a hospice tenure and has become an assisted living community executive director. On a personal level, she was the principal caregiver for her grandmother who had Alzheimer’s for eight years, as well as for her grandfather for eleven years when he could no longer live by himself. These experiences led Ms. Kidd to establish the Oasis Senior Living Advisors in 2018. Jason Vaughn, her husband, joined the group in 2023.
Ms. Kidd and Mr. Vaughn, along with their qualified Oasis Senior Advisors, serve areas in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, to “…make senior living simple. Oasis Senior Advisors is here to help. No matter where you go, Oasis makes getting there easy.”
Please join the Lions Club on Wednesday, August 14, at 6:30 p.m., at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Thurmont, when Ms. Kidd will be our speaker. There is no charge, and the meeting is open to the public. There will be a wealth of information to benefit everyone.
Look Up
By goodNewsBanner On · Add Comment · In Columns
by Mitchell Tester, College Student
““FAT OLD SUN””
The sun is a means for all living beings to exist, sitting at the center of our own solar system, 93 million miles from us here on Earth. Taking a trip around the Sun would take you 2.7 million miles, or 1,889 days, at a steady 60 miles per hour. On the contrary, a trip around Earth would take you only 17 days.
Although the Sun trumps the Earth in terms of size, the Sun is surprisingly quite small when compared to some stars of neighboring solar systems and galaxies. In fact, the biggest star in the known universe, UY Scuti, has a radius 1,700 times larger than the Sun. Therefore, the circumference of UY Scuti sits at a staggering 4,619,398,440 billion miles. A nice leisurely journey around UY Scuti would take 3 million days, or nearly 9,000 years, at 60 miles per hour.
Since driving on a star is impossible for many reasons, let’s instead say that you wanted to fly around UY Scuti in a spacecraft with speeds similar to the Apollo 11 mission, fitted with protection against the radiation and immense heat and with a breakneck speed of 24,790 miles per hour. Despite our more than impressive imaginary craft, it would still take us 21 years to fly around the star at a steady pace. This means, this big star is large enough to fit 6 quadrillion Earths inside of it, unlike the meager 1.3 million Earths that can fit inside our own star, the Sun.
The Sun started its life at the center of a solar nebula, basically an interstellar dust cloud, some 4 billion years ago. Interestingly enough, scientists have strongly theorized that our own planets and everything else in our solar system were formed in this same cloud. Disturbances by way of neighboring clouds, exploding stars, and other celestial occurrences are ways for the dust in these clouds to clump together, in addition to the force of their own gravity, growing larger and larger, until after millions of years, a protostar is formed from the core of that solar nebula. And for another 100,000 to 10 million years, it continues to collect mass until it finally stops collapsing in on itself. The time frame of a star’s life and its stages are heavily dependent on the mass of the star, so stay tuned for next month when I talk about the birth and death of stars in part two of “Fat Old Sun.”
For our protostar, eventually the immense pressure, extremely high temperatures, and accretion of material causes hydrogen to fuse into helium by way of nuclear fusion. When the atomic nuclei, hydrogen, starts to bond into a single heavier one, helium, the star is then born. At 25 million degrees Fahrenheit, it burns 600 million tons of hydrogen into helium every second, the equivalent of 10 billion hydrogen bombs.
The pressure that the star gives outward through its nuclear fusion is great enough that it is equal to the pressure inward, inward pressure being the collapsing of material because of gravity. This balancing act is something called hydrostatic equilibrium. One force holds the Sun together, making it spherical, while the other keeps it from collapsing in on itself. Like most things in life, balance is vital.
The nuclear fusion that is occurring in our Sun is occurring in the core, where the pressure and the temperature are so high that the nuclei can be fused together rather than be repelled from one another (which they naturally do).
The energy that is created by the heart of the Sun is called photons, packets of energy that move in waves. The packets of energy, photons, are created by the excitement of an electron and its journey back to a stable state (they like to be stable), that energy needs to go somewhere, so it goes outward. So, the photons’ journey then begins, saying goodbye to their atomic friend, they then move toward the radiative layer of the Sun, to be absorbed and emitted many times throughout their journey.
Inside the radiative layer, the energy created in the core is carried by photons outward, through thermal radiation, which occurs from the high temperatures that cause kinetic energy (energy that is created by movement) of random movements of atoms and molecules in the matter of the Sun. This is at the (literal) core of what heats us here on Earth.
As energy is carried through the radiative layer, it then moves to the convection layer of the Sun, still being absorbed and emitted over and over. Heat rises, which means the Sun, in a figurative sense, lives by the same rules as heating your house does. Due to heat rising, it means the coolness sinks to make way for the heat. This rotation in temperature causes convection—heated gas rises and the denser cooler gas sinks.
The photons continue their journey outward through the hot gas, making their way into the photosphere, which is the visible surface of the Sun. This photosphere is the coolest layer, although still reaching temps of 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit. If you look at an image of the Sun, you will notice a granulation texture seen on the surface. That texture is the before-mentioned clumps of hot gas rising, and the darker (in comparison observed as black) clumps of cool gas sinking inward. When I say gas, I am specifically talking about a superheated gas called plasma, often referred to as the fourth state of matter. Plasma is what happens when extreme conditions are met, superheated matter (in this case, gas) is stripped of its electron(s), electrically charging it (referred to as becoming ionized) and turning it into plasma.
The photons move onward, continuing their journey towards Earth, then reaching the Sun’s atmosphere’s first layer, the inner layer, the chromosphere, a thin layer of red-colored plasma (chromo meaning color). The chromosphere is usually hidden from our view, although it can be seen by special satellite telescopes and even during a solar eclipse. While the photons continue to rise or move outward, they reach the corona, the outermost layer of the Sun. The corona is the least dense layer of the Sun, in addition to carrying the least amount of energy. Despite this, it is extremely hot, upwards of 2 million degrees Fahrenheit, even hotter than the chromosphere. There are many theories as to why the outer layer is hotter, although there is no definitive answer yet.
Photons, moving outward in all directions, passing through the outer reaches of the Sun’s corona, having been emitted and absorbed countless times throughout the Sun’s layers, are now in space, traveling away from the Sun. Interestingly enough, the distance that photons can reach is not finite, continuing on forever as long as there is no interruption, which can occur by way of a planet, black hole, or anything else that absorbs light. This is how we see the light of stars that are trillions and trillions of miles away. Our photons, after completing their journey through the Sun, are then carried through the vacuum of space, by electromagnetic radiation at the speed of light, to our home, the Earth. It actually takes light, or photons, roughly 8 minutes to travel the 93,000,000 miles to Earth. While from the core to the corona, the journey can take upward of around 10,000 to 170,000 years.
The photons, nearing at the end of their journey, are now coming close to contact with Earth’s atmosphere. Before telling you what happens to our photon friends when contact is made with our Earth’s atmosphere, I must explain one thing: Photons are made up of everything in the electromagnetic spectrum, which includes all the colors of visible light. As you may know, all those colors together make white light. Think of Isaac Newton and his experiment of letting light travel through a prism—white light in, all the colors of the rainbow out.
Have you ever found yourself looking up and wondering why the sky is blue? Photons do indeed play a role in that, although photons alone are not the reason our sky is blue. Our sky is blue due to nitrogen and oxygen making up 99 percent of our atmosphere, therefore, effectively scattering the blue and violet light from the photons, while the other colors of the white light spectra make their way down to Earth, mostly unphased. This is also why the Sun appears a yellowish orange to us here on Earth; while, if you were in space, the Sun would be white because it is white light. Although here on Earth, due to nitrogen and oxygen effectively scattering blue light, the lack of blue light (because it is being scattered in the atmosphere) leaves the Sun looking a yellowish orange. If you are wondering why the Sun appears red when it is close to the horizon, that is due to the light going through more of the atmosphere, in return scattering more blue light than normal, leaving the Sun reddish orange rather than yellow.
So, now you know, as you walk outside in the morning to see that (technically white) fat old sun rising, feeling the warmth on your face, the particles that gave way to this feeling took 10,000 to 170,000 years (and 8 minutes) to reach you.
The Best Time to Start a Financial Plan is Now
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by Tricia Bush, CPA, CFP®, Partner, Bestgate Advisors
Pay O f f Yo u r M o r t g a g e E a r ly o r I n v e s t ?
Maybe you’ve overheard co-workers debating or you were at the local diner or chatting with neighbors—about whether it’s smarter to pay off your mortgage quicker or invest your spare cash for better returns. It’s a question that can leave you scratching your head, wondering what’s best for your hard-earned dollars. Should you prioritize paying off your mortgage early or invest extra funds to earn higher potential returns? This decision isn’t just about numbers; it’s deeply personal and can vary significantly based on individual circumstances and financial philosophies.
The Case for Paying Off Your Mortgage Early
For some homeowners, the satisfaction of owning their home outright is powerful. Imagine the peace of mind that comes with knowing you no longer owe a monthly payment to the bank. This approach can be particularly appealing if you are conservative or nearing retirement.
Personal Finance Philosophy: Dave Ramsey, a well-known financial expert, advocates aggressively paying down debt, including mortgages, as a key step toward financial freedom. His philosophy emphasizes the psychological and financial benefits of being debt-free, which can provide stability and reduce financial stress.
Consider Maria and John, a couple in their early 50s, who have been diligently paying down their mortgage over the past two decades. With retirement on the horizon, they prioritize eliminating their housing costs to free up more of their retirement income for travel and hobbies. For them, the emotional satisfaction of owning their home outright outweighs the potential returns from investing.
Argument for Investing in a Higher Interest Rate Market
On the flip side, investing extra funds in the stock market or other higher-yield investments can potentially generate greater returns than the interest saved by paying off a low-interest mortgage early. This strategy appeals to those who have a higher risk tolerance and believe in the power of compound interest over time.
Investment Perspective: Financial advisors like Suze Orman often advocate for investing extra funds rather than paying off low-interest debt quickly. They argue that, historically, the stock market has provided average returns that outpace mortgage interest rates over the long term. This approach assumes disciplined investing and a diversified portfolio to reduce risk.
Take Tom and Sarah, a young couple in their 30s with a growing family. They recently refinanced their mortgage at a competitive rate and are considering their options with extra income. Tom, an avid investor, calculates that over the next 20 years, historical stock market returns could significantly outpace their mortgage interest. They plan to invest the difference while maintaining a comfortable emergency fund and saving for their children’s education.
Personalities and Financial Behavior
The decision between paying off a mortgage early and investing often hinges on personal financial behaviors and goals. It’s essential to honestly assess whether you are likely to invest the difference, or if there’s a risk of spending it on discretionary expenses.
Behavioral Finance Insight: Research shows that individuals who are disciplined savers and investors may benefit more from investing extra funds. Conversely, if you tend to spend windfalls or struggle with saving, paying off your mortgage early might provide more tangible benefits.
Consider Jack, who inherited a sum of money and initially planned to invest it but found himself splurging on a luxury vacation and home upgrades. Reflecting on his spending habits, he realizes that for him, the psychological benefit of being debt-free would have provided greater long-term security and peace of mind.
Conclusion: What’s Right for You?
Ultimately, the decision to pay off your mortgage early or invest extra funds depends on your unique financial situation, goals, and behavioral tendencies. There is no one-size-fits-all answer.
Here are some key considerations to guide your decision-making process:
- Interest Rates: Compare your mortgage interest rate with expected investment returns.
- Risk Tolerance: Assess your comfort level with investment risk and market volatility.
- Financial Goals: Consider your short-term and long-term financial objectives, such as retirement savings or funding education.
- Behavioral Factors: Reflect on your spending habits and financial discipline.
Before making a decision, consult with a trusted financial advisor who can provide personalized guidance based on your circumstances. Whether you prioritize the emotional satisfaction of owning your home outright or aim to maximize long-term investment returns, understanding your motivations and financial behaviors is crucial.
In the end, achieving financial security and peace of mind is about aligning your financial decisions with your values and goals. Whether you follow Dave Ramsey’s debt-free philosophy or opt for strategic investing, make sure your choice reflects what’s truly important to you and your family’s future.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial planning advice. Please consult with a certified financial advisor to discuss your specific situation and plan.
“Observations from the Woodpile”
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Jeff Yocum
Prologue
Observations from the Woodpile” is a collection of essays bundled together and given as a birthday present for my wife, Nancy, in 1997. Twenty-seven years have passed since the collection was given. The two main subjects of the essays, my sons Justus and Jacob, have grown into men with families of their own.
Next Winter’s Wood
We moved into our house the day after Thanksgiving in 1991. The house did not have a heating system except for four fireplaces and one wood stove. There was not a stick of firewood on the property . Fortunately, some friends gave us a half cord of firewood as a housewarming gift. The first construction project we did was to install electric heaters throughout the house. As I recall, I spent many nights buried under a pile of blankets doubting the wisdom of our home investment.
We bumped along that winter scavenging wood wherever we could wi thout having to break up the furniture. The following fall we had enough wood for the upcoming winter. By spring, the woodshed was nearly empty. The wood was adequate although it hissed a lot as it burned, and it took con siderable effort to get a cold stove started. The wood had not seasoned properly.
By the next fall, the woodshed was full, and I ordered another truckload. One of the boys, I can’t remember which one, noticed we had a full woodshed, and we were getting ready to cut another load as well. He didn’t quite understand why we needed all that wood for the winter.
Looking a year or two into the future is a long way for a little kid. I explained to him the wood we were about to cut was for the following winter. We would burn it more than a year from then. In the spring, we would put it in the woodshed and the hot summer air would dry it. By next winter it would be the best quality firewood.
Since that time, we’ve installed a second woodstove in the family room. We use more wood, but the power bill is less than half. We’ve also gotten even more ahead of our wood consumption. By the time winter starts now , we have about one and a half winter’s worth of wood.
There’s a certain satisfaction in knowing you’re ahead. Having a little reserve instills confidence. I’ve tried to teach the kids to always have a little reserve in everything they do. A little extra money, some extra food in the house, a little extra love and grace in a relationship. You never know when you’ll have to draw on it. Maybe never, but it’s good to know it’s there.
Looking Back
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Speeding Up Snail Mail
by James Rada, Jr.
Rural Free Delivery came to Frederick County in 1901, a decade after it was first introduced in Westminster in 1891. In that time, it had become popular among those who had it. The Catoctin Clarion noted in 1900, “The rural free delivery grows more unpopular every day, with our citizens. There are constantly being new disadvantages and inconveniences discovered which will never he made satisfactory under our present system.”
Rural Free Delivery was similar to the mail service we experience today, where the mail is delivered to most homes, regardless of where they are located.
The problem—then and now—is ensuring the mail is delivered in a timely manner to remote locations. One way that mail efficiency for Thurmont was increased was by using the Thurmont Trolley to transport any mail from Frederick to Thurmont.
The Thurmont Trolley was part of the Hagerstown and Frederick Railway. Construction on the rail system, which eventually ran from Shady Grove, Pennsylvania, to Thurmont in a huge “U” that passed through Frederick and Hagerstown, began in 1896.
The railway was electrified in 1909, and it became the first electric railroad in the United States to handle freight cars with electric locomotives, but it also handled passenger travel between Frederick and Thurmont.
It was a popular system that everyone seemed pleased with, except for politicians in Washington who didn’t feel the mail should be carried on a trolley. So, in 1911, regulations prohibiting it were passed.
The Thurmont mail from Frederick then had to travel to Baltimore before being loaded onto a Western Maryland Railroad train and sent to Thurmont. This changed a trip of one hour to one that was more than 24 hours.
The Frederick Board of Trade lobbied for a reinstatement of the trolley use, which happened in 1913. However, the change came with a hitch. It didn’t improve the delivery time of the letters because the mail was sent from Frederick too late.
It arrived in Thurmont at 7:15 a.m., which was 15 minutes after the three postal carriers—William H. Damuth, Frank Albaugh, and J. H. Freeze—had left Thurmont to start their routes.
So, although the trolley was once again being used to deliver mail, the mail was still arriving at the same time. For instance, it was leaving Frederick one morning and arriving in Thurmont the next morning in time to go out. Switching back to the later trolley meant that it left Frederick one morning and arrived in Thurmont in time for the mail to go out that same morning, it arrived later and could not be delivered until the next morning.
“To serve the greatest number of people, Frederick mail should arrive at Thurmont on the 6 o’clock car,” The Catoctin Clarion urged. “It can then be delivered at the post office and by the carriers in a few hours.”
Changes were eventually made to improve the speed of mail delivery, but as the age of railroads faded, the trolley soon became a slower delivery method than trucks.
The last trip of the Thurmont Trolley was on February 20, 1954. By that time, the trolley, which had carried 3.8 million passengers around the county in 1920, had carried only 500,000 passengers the previous year.
“Gradually the bus and the passenger car snipped away at trolley patronage, gradually lines were discontinued, until the 17-mile stretch from Frederick to Thurmont was the only link in the state between two such urban points,” Betty Sullivan wrote in the Frederick Post. “Despite competition this trolley kept its faithful friends and some 60 commuters will use it until the final day.”
However, the U.S. mail was not on board the train and hadn’t been for many years.
Maryland Earthquakes and the Science Behind Them
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Richard D. L. Fulton
Earthquakes are not common in Maryland, but they are also not rare, most being so insignificant that they are not even detectable by any of the state’s residents whenever they do occur.
But why does the state even have earthquakes, and why are they not like the West Coast versions? The answer lies in the geological history of the state, a history which it shares with the other Mid-Atlantic States.
The more constant and dramatic earthquakes that occur on the west coast are the result of the ongoing collision of the western edge of the North American continental plate colliding with the edge of the Pacific continental plate. Like an irresistible force colliding with an immovable object, the result of the two plates grinding against one another has produced, not only innumerable earthquakes, but volcanism as well, in the form of active volcanoes.
The earthquakes in Maryland are the product of a similar force, but one that occurred more than 200 million years ago when a supercontinent, called Pangea, began to break up. In this case, the African continental plate, which had adhered itself to the eastern edge of the North American plate, began to break-off and drift away from North America.
The environment at the time was very much like that which is occurring along the west coast of the United States today, only possibly even more violent. As the African continent ripped itself apart from North America, the cataclysmic earthquakes that resulted created deep fractures beneath the surface, which are now called faults (successive series of connected faults are called fault lines, some of which span multiple states.)
Faults, basically being cracks, generally consist of two parts (sides), one side (called a hanging wall), which “hangs” over the opposing side (called a foot wall). Over the course of tens of millions of years, these structures have become weakened from the forces exerted by overlying layers of rock, and the effects of groundwater attacking the structural integrity of the rocks.
Eventually, these opposing fault walls will slip or collapse with such force that they would then generate shock waves which would quickly work their way to the surface, resulting in earthquakes.
To demonstrate the difference between the earthquakes produced by the collision of the Western and Pacific plates, California experiences, on average, 35 measurable earthquakes a day. As a result of the process that produces earthquakes in Maryland, Maryland has experienced only 70 earthquakes since 1758.
As of the date of the writing of this article, the following Maryland communities experienced earthquakes: Spencerville two weeks ago (1.8 magnitude); Rockville six months ago (1.8 magnitude); Sykesville one year ago (1.8 magnitude); Woodlawn two years ago (1.8 magnitude); Highland two years ago 2.1 magnitude). Woodlawn three years ago (one 1.6 magnitude and one 2.6); and Sykesville six years ago (1.5 magnitude). These are low-level magnitude earthquakes with little if any resulting damage.
The first earthquake recorded to have occurred in Maryland took place on April 25, 1758, south of Annapolis. There existed no means whatsoever of measuring the magnitude at that time, so the power of the earthquake remained unknown. According to WTOP News, in Maryland’s extensive earthquake history, the quake had reportedly lasted 30 seconds, and had emitted what was described as “weird noises.”
While Maryland was subjected by earthquakes generated within the state, some of the larger earthquakes which have impacted Maryland were triggered outside of the state.
One of the largest earthquakes to hit Maryland in recent times actually originated in Mineral, Virginia, on August 23, 2011. The quake was rated as having attained a 5.8 magnitude.
The United States Geological Survey summed up the impact as follows: “Moderately heavy damage occurred in a rural region of Louisa County, southwest of Mineral. Widespread light to moderate damage occurred from central Virginia to southern Maryland, including the District of Columbia area. Minor damage (was) reported in parts of Delaware, southeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. Very strongly felt at Boston, Bumpass, Kents Store, Louisa, Mineral, Rhoadesville and Sumerduck. Felt strongly in much of central Virginia and southern Maryland. Felt throughout the eastern US from central Georgia to central Maine and west to Detroit, Michigan and Chicago, Illinois. Felt in many parts of southeastern Canada from Montreal to Windsor.”
Mainly a nuisance quake, which left pictures hung on walls askew and rattling some dishes, one of the quake’s greatest impacts was inflicted in the cellphone network, mainly the result of so many people simultaneously trying to make phone calls, in order to figure out what was going on.
“Significant network volume caused some customers to lose service for about 20 minutes.” Melanie Ortel, a Verizon spokeswoman, told the Easton, Maryland, Record Observer,” adding, “Everything returned to normal, once the tremors ended.”
Typical of what Marylanders experienced in the 2011 earthquake was reflected in the account given to The Baltimore Sun, by Loch Raven Village resident Renate Shelley and her husband, and published in the newspaper’s August 24, 2011, edition, in which the couple stated that they were sitting in their SUV watching their dog play while at Gunpowder State Park when the earthquake struck, and their car, in which they were parked at that time, began moving.
“We felt the car go left, and then right, and then back and forth, but we weren’t driving,” Renate Shelley told the newspaper, adding that her husband, who had been “snoozing,” asked, “What the Hell was that?”
On the lighter side, The Baltimore Sun reported on August 31, 2011, “Less than an hour after the final rumbles… a T-shirt emblazoned with “I Survived the Virginia Earthquake’ was selling for $16.00 on eBay.”
The seller was identified as 29-year-old Catonsville resident Tony Uzupus, who had designed the shirt “within five hours of the quake,” and then posted the shirts on the auction site, reportedly telling The Sun, “I figured I would strike while the iron was hot.”
By August 29, the newspaper reported, Uzupus had sold several dozen shirts.
The most recent earthquake experienced in Maryland did not originate in Maryland, as per the 2011 Virginia quake, and occurred on April 5, 2024.
The 2024 quake—actually two back-to-back quakes—originated in New Jersey. The first quake was a 4.8 magnitude quake and was triggered around 10:23 a.m. in Lebanon, New Jersey, while the second quake was a 4.0 magnitude quake and was triggered around 6:11 a.m. in Gladstone, New Jersey,
The dual earthquakes, felt from New York to Maryland, were more of nuisance quakes than damaging-inflicting ones, although a few quake-related injuries and some structural damages had been reported.
Projecting or predicting when a Maryland earthquake is about to occur is nearly impossible, since, unlike the West Coast earthquakes, there is little-tono advance warning, mainly due to the difference between Maryland geology, and that of the West Coast.
Other than employing earthquake resilient construction in erecting new buildings, the only real defense a resident may have is to simply keep a battery-operated radio on hand and several flashlights, as one would do in order to deal with any power -grid threatening emergency, and to stay off the phones. Individuals placing calls in mass during the 2011 quake caused the communications grid to crash.
once upon a time…
By goodNewsBanner On · Add Comment · In Columns
James Rada, Jr.
Note: Newspaper excerpts are as they appeared in their respective issues.
August 1924, 100 Years Ago
Union Mfg. Co. Picnic Planned
Former employees as well as those now on the payroll are invited to participate in the second annual picnic of the Union Manufacturing Company, this city, which will be held in Willow Grove Park, near Hagerstown, on Saturday. …
Special arrangements have been made with the Potomac Edison Company wherebytrolleys will carry the employes from the factories located in Thurmont and in this city to thepicnic grounds and return. …
For the enjoyment of the picnickers there will be free amusements, consisting ofdancing, roller coaster, sliding boards, and the merry-go-round.
– Frederick News, August 5, 1924
Locked In Stable While Thieves Go Through His Store
Held up at the points of three automatics and locked in an old stable under guard with the knowledge that his general store, near Catoctin Furnace, was being robbed was the experience of Frank W. Fraley, of Catoctin Furnace, shortly after midnight.
Mr. Fraley was returning to his home at Catoctin Furnace from a visit to Thurmont about 12:15 this morning. On the way home he decided to stop in his store to procure some cigarettes and, stopping his machine, he started towards the door of his establishment. Stepping on the porch in front of the store, which is located along the main road, Mr. Fraley heard someone walking around inside, but before he could make an investigation, one of the bandits had crept up behind him and sticking a gun in his ribs, ordered him to throw up his hands.
Two other bandits immediately came out of the store and covering Mr. Fraley with two automatics, they forced him into an old stable and locked the door. One of the bandits was left on guard. Mr. Fraley was kept in the stable for about an hour and a half. During that time, he said, a number of shots were fired, but he was unable to tell who did it.
– Frederick News,August 30, 1924
August 1949, 75 Years Ago
King Cobra Snake Arrives at Thurmont
The lone survivor of three king cobras, shipped last month from India, will soon be at home at Gordon Gaver’s Snake farm near Thurmont, it was learned Monday.
One of the three “most deadly reptiles” died en route to New York. Another escaped aboard ship, slipping into the sea and apparently perished. The one consigned to the snake haven near Thurmont was the lone survivor.
It was great disappointment to Mr. Gaver and members and guests of the Maryland Circus Fans Association that the king cobra did not arrive in time to attend their second annual state convention at Thurmont Sunday.
– Emmitsburg Chronicle, August 12, 1949
Reservoir Work Nearing Completion
The. Emmitsburg Water Co., through its president, Samuel C. Hays, announced that work on the improvement of the local reservoir was progressing at an accelerated pace.
The aim of the water utility is to increase the capacity of the watershed from its present capacity of three million gallons to 20 million gallons. For some months now, the president stated, work has been going on at a rapid pace and on the construction of the double-barreled concrete spillway, more than 275 tons of cement and gravel have been consumed. Completion of the spillway is expected within the next week or 10 days. When this has been accomplished, it is believed that the project will be about half completed as much other construction to the reservoir is under way.
– Emmitsburg Chronicle,August 26, 1949
August 1974, 50 Years Ago
Scout Festival Rated Successful
Boy Scout Troop 284 of Emmitsburg wishes to thank the community for its support through their efforts to raise money for the scouts’ trip to Philmont, New Mexico, next summer. The success of the festival held July 27 was considered overwhelming.
– Emmitsburg Chronicle, August 8, 1974
Gettysburg Tower To Be Dedicated
The Dedication and Grand Opening of the National Gettysburg Battlefield Tower will be
held on Saturday, August 17, 1974.
At the brief dedication ceremonies officially opening the facility, guests will hear from Thomas R. Ottenstein, creator and developer of the Tower; Harry Biesecker, President commissioner of Adams County, and the Honorable Robert E. Woodside, former judge and
Attorney General of Pennsylvania and presently Adjunct Professor of Law at the Dickinson School of Law. Robert M. Johnson, creator of the sound and visual program of. The Tower will be master of ceremonies.
The National Tower will provide the several million visitors to the battle site with an unprecedented 3600 view of the historic terrain. Historians have acclaimed the Tower as the ideal way to understand more clearly the strategies of the largest battle ever fought on their own soil and the most important of the Civil War.
Professional groups have praised the aesthetics and creativity of the structure’s unique patented design.
– Emmitsburg Chronicle, August 15, 1974
August 1999, 25 Years Ago
Residents Protest Termination of Deputy
The July 12th town meeting was dominated by an outpouring of citizen comments regarding the recent and sudden reassignment of the town’s deputy, John Chance. Approximately 40 people, many wearing stickers or carrying signs that read “Give DeputyJohn a Chance,” were there to show their support for the deputy.
Deputy Chance’s superior was informed by letter, June 25th, that town officials were not satisfied with his enforcement efforts.
Scott McClendon, a resident of Silo Hill, and spokesman for the citizen group, presented the commissioners with a petition signed by approximately 750 people which called for the reinstatement of Deputy Chance. The petition included the signatures of Emmitsburg residents as well as of people living outside the corporate area.
– TheEmmitsburg Regional Dispatch, August 1999
Helen Reaver Retires
The infectious laughter and the constant smile that were Helen Reaver’s trademark are
gone from the Town Office. Helen, along with her laughter and smile, has retired from her
job as receptionist, secretary, and assistant to everybody here. She will be sorely missed by everyone for a lot of reasons that will keep popping up for a long time.
Since 1986, a span of 13 years, Helen Reaver was the first person you saw when you entered the Town office. Helen facilitated the payments of tax and utility bills, directed people to meetings with the Town Clerk, zoning administrator, town manager and the Mayor: Angry and disgruntled citizens vented their wrath on this receptionist, who handled each one a bit differently, in a manner that often ended with satisfactory resolution to the grievance and her smile. Older citizens quite often had Helen write their checks; young kids usually left with a lollipop and laughing parents.
– TheEmmitsburg Regional, Dispatch, August 1999
Union Mfg. Co. Picnic Planned
Former employes as well as those now on the payroll are invited to participate in the second annual picnic of the Union Manufacturing Company, this city, which will be held in Willow Grove Park, near Hagerstown, on Saturday. …
Special arrangements have been made with the Potomac Edison Company whereby trolleys will carry the employes from the factories located in Thurmont and in this city to the picnic grounds and return. …
For the enjoyment of the picnickers there will be free amusements, consisting of dancing, roller coaster, sliding boards, and the merry-go-round.
– Frederick News, August 5, 1924
Locked In Stable While Thieves Go Through His Store
Held up at the points of three automatics and locked in an old stable under guard with the knowledge that his general store, near Catoctin Furnace, was being robbed was the experience of Frank W. Fraley, of Catoctin Furnace, shortly after midnight.
Mr. Fraley was returning to his home at Catoctin Furnace from a visit to Thurmont about 12:15 this morning. On the way home he decided to stop in his store to procure some cigarettes and, stopping his machine, he started towards the door of his establishment. Stepping on the porch in front of the store, which is located along the main road, Mr. Fraley heard someone walking around inside, but before he could make an investigation, one of the bandits had crept up behind him and sticking a gun in his ribs, ordered him to throw up his hands.
Two other bandits immediately came out of the store and covering Mr. Fraley with two automatics, they forced him into an old stable and locked the door. One of the bandits was left on guard. Mr. Fraley was kept in the stable for about an hour and a half. During that time, he said, a number of shots were fired, but he was unable t o tell who did it.
– Frederick News, August 30, 1924
Taste of the Past
By goodNewsBanner On · Add Comment · In Catoctin Cookin', Columns
Maxine Troxell
Summer is the ideal time to fire up the grill and enjoy your meal outdoors. Whether it’s hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken, or ribs, everything tastes better on the grill. I was looking for some old recipes, and I found this recipe for Texas Honey Sweet & Sour Ribs in my Aunt Erma’s Run of the Mill cookbook. I Hope you enjoy this recipe.
Texas Honey Sweet & Sour Ribs
Ingredients
6 lbs. pork ribs
½ cup honey
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp. seasoned salt
¼ tsp. seasoned pepper
½ cup vinegar
1 cup catsup
½ cup water
½ cup soy sauce
Directions
- Cut ribs into serving size pieces. Place in Dutch oven
- Add vinegar and enough water to cover rib. Cover and simmer for 1 hour
- Drain ribs and place on large baking dish.
- Combine remaining ingredients in saucepan and simmer for 45 minutes
- Pour sauce over ribs (save small amount for glazing). Let stand for 30 minutes
- Place ribs on grill, bone-side down over low coals. Grill 10-15 minutes
- Turn meaty side down and cook for 15 more minutes.
- Remove from grill and brush with remaining sauce.
The Supermarket Gourmet
By goodNewsBanner On · Add Comment · In Catoctin Cookin', Columns
by Buck Reed
Mead Maker
.“When Odin drank of the song-mead he composed poems which for sweetness and grandeur have never been surpassed. He was the first poet and knew well the magic of the mead. For the source of it was secret, and was discovered only by Ivalde, the watchman of the primeval fount from which life first came and by which life is ever sustained. Then was it carried to the beauteous car of the moon, and from thence to the regions of fire. There it was won by love mixed with wrong, and when the high god who descended to the deeps drank of it, he soared as an eagle to heaven, which he filled with song. From heaven has song descended upon earth, and in song are all the sufferings which were begotten over the mead.”
~Teutonic Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie
Yes, I am a Mead Maker. I have actually been making it for 30 years and have been teaching sporadically over that time. I have also been making beer and wine and teaching those skills on a more consistent basis. We actually ran a class regularly for almost 20 years, teaching students the fundamentals of beer making. Although I know way more about making beer, I still call myself a Mead Maker.
So, what is mead? The simple answer is: It is an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting honey. I consider it the stuff that civilizations were built on and legends were made. If you looked in the glasses of Odin, Dionysus, and Maeve, you would certainly find mead. Weather you called it Paradise, Valhalla or Heaven, you will find a river of mead flowing through it for all good people to share and revel in.
Love and war were both influenced by this drink throughout history. The Vikings and Picts went into battle with mead as their secret weapon. Before a raid, Vikings laced their mead with wormwood, a very strong hallucinogen, that put them into a frenzy. When a couple got married, the tribal mead maker provided them enough mead for 30 days. This gave us the term “Honeymoon,” which noted the time and the honey the drink provided. Nine months later, if a male child was produced, the Mead Maker was regarded as a skill ed craftsman. Many Mead Makers boasted that they had up to a 50 percent success rate of male babies over female.
Traditional mead making was, and still is, a time-consuming project. It can take up to a year to get it in the bottle, and if aged properly , can take months and sometimes years to get it right. Because honey doesn’t go bad, it can age for much longer periods than beer or wine. And because it is magic, the aging process will only make it taste better.
In our class that we will offer in the fall at the Flying Barrel , we will shorten the time we will need to get it in the bottle, but not necessarily the aging time. We will be offering our students all the knowledge and techniques needed to produce quality mead in their home, and they will have two case s of mead to take home to start their journey.
Mead to me is part science, part art, and as our ancestors believed, a whole lot of magic. I can feel it as we make it and drink it. And maybe we can make a connection to the people who believed that if all things are no t considered sacred, than nothing is sacred. We could all use a little of that in these times.
Did you like this article? Or do you have an idea for another article? Contact me at Rguyinthekitchen@aol.com with any comments or if you are interested in participating in our class.
Eat well feel good
By goodNewsBanner On · Add Comment · In Catoctin Cookin', Columns
Spinach, Feta & Artichoke Tater Tot Casserole
High-Protein Sesame-Free Vegetarian Nut-Free Gluten-Free
Ingredients
12 large eggs
2/3 cup half-and-half
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried dill
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
2 cups frozen quartered artichoke hearts, thawed and squeezed dry
1½ cups frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
½ cup frozen diced onions
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
13 ounces frozen potato tots (about 3 cups), thawed
¼ teaspoon salt
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 7-by-11-inch casserole dish with cooking spray. Whisk eggs, half-and-half, garlic powder, oregano, dill and pepper together in the prepared dish until thoroughly combined. Scatter artichoke hearts, spinach and onions over the egg mixture; sprinkle evenly with feta. Arrange potato tots over the feta in a single layer, leaving about ¼ inch between each tot.Combine oil, lemon juice, chives, honey, mustard, and salt in a small bowl or in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Whisk or shake well.
- Cover with foil and bake until the middle is just set and the edges are slightly golden brown, 50 to 55 minutes. Sprinkle with salt before serving.
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