Thurmont Guardian Hose December Calls
January 6, 2011
EMS ASSISTS 18
VEHICLE ACCIDENTS 4
BUILDING FIRES 8
TRANSFERS 7
AUTOMATIC ALARMS 4
WIRES DOWN/ELECTRICAL 3
ODOR OF SMOKE 1
MISC. RESCUE 1
BRUSH/FIELD FIRES 1
MISC FIRES 2
VEHICLE FIRES 1
SERVICE CALLS 2
CHIMNEY FIRES 1
54 CALLS FOR THE MONTH
35 1ST DUE
19 MUTUAL AID
AVERAGE 7 PERSONNEL PER CALL
EQUIPMENT TRAVELED 596 MILES
NO FIRE LOSS FOR THE MONTH
Emmitsburg Citizens can sign up for regular e-mail updates from Mayor Jim Hoover
December 30, 2010
December 30, 2010
Citizens can now sign up to have news and information from Mayor Jim Hoover delivered directly to their e-mail in boxes.
The Mayor’s eMemo updates will be sent out one to two times each month. In each eMemo Mayor Hoover will provide an inside look of town government and personal comments on town issues and programs. The first issue is scheduled for release the week of January 15.
As mayor, one of the top priorities is to ensure the town government is accessible and accountable to the citizens. These e-mail updates and the telecasting of town council and planning commission meetings are a great way for Emmitsburg residents to stay informed and involved in their town government.
Anyone wishing to receive the “Mayor’s eMemo” can sign up by visiting http://mayorhoover.webs.com/emailupdates.htm. An e-mail address is the only information required, and recipients can discontinue receiving messages by clicking a link included in every e-mail.
In addition to the “eMemo,” Mayor Hoover has also created a personal website www.mayorhoover.com. The newsletter and website will primary focus on Emmitsburg Town Government, but they both will also be used as a tool to “educate” the general public on the roles, duties and responsibilities of the town staff and its officials.
Commissoners Update Snow & Ice Policy 12.20.10
December 22, 2010
Code Time by Code Enrocement Officer Kenny Oland
Changes in Snow Removal Code.
On Monday, December 20th, the Board of Commissioners approved a change to Chapter 84 - Property Maintenance, Article VI, Sidewalk Maintenance, Snow and Ice Removal.
The changes made are to the amount of time residents have to clear their sidewalks of snow and ice after snow and/or ice have stopped falling. Residents are required to clear their sidewalks to a width of 3 feet or the width of the sidewalk, which ever is less, within 24 hours, or 36 hours when accumulation exceeds 8 inches for a single event.
When the sidewalks have become covered with ice or frozen snow and the likelihood of damage to the sidewalk would result in an attempt to remove the ice or frozen snow, residents are required to, within 24 hours; place enough snow/ice melt or an abrasive compound to make travel on the sidewalk reasonably safe. Once the weather permits, residents are to thoroughly clear their sidewalk.
The reason for the change, the Board of Commissioners felt this would allow our residents who work out-of-town more time to clear their sidewalks without facing a fine.
Once again this year the Town will be enforcing this Code through Town. Residents who fail to clear their sidewalks will be issued a $50 civil citation. If they have not cleared their sidewalks of snow or ice within 48 hours the Town may clear the sidewalks at the owner’s expense.
Residents are reminded that blowing, throwing, plowing, or placing snow or ice from their sidewalks or driveways into the traveled portion of the street, where vehicles travel, is a violation and subject to a civil citation and fine of $50.
Now that winter is here with the forecast of snow, residents are asked to clear snow from fire hydrants and those large green electrical boxes on or near their property. This will make locating fire hydrants and electrical boxes easier to locate by the fire department and the Town electrical department if the power goes out in your neighborhood.
For our residents who live at the intersections of streets, you are asked to shovel a path so people can walk from corner to corner without climbing over piles of snow.
The best way to deal with the coming snow is to be prepared. The Town of Thurmont has their trucks and snow plows ready, the men are ready, our snow plans are prepared. Are you?
Winter Code Time by Kenny Oland
December 17, 2010
Winter Is Here!
It’s that time of the year when the winter winds blow and the snow begins to fall. The Town of Thurmont would like to remind its residents that you are required to remove the snow and ice from the sidewalks fronting your property, or place an abrasive on the ice to allow safe passage within 12 hours after the snow or ice has stopped fall. Failing to clear your sidewalks is a municipal infraction with a fine of $50.00.
The Board of Commissioner is to vote on a change to this section on Monday, December 20th to increase the time to 24 hours or within 36 hours when the accumulation exceeds 8 inches. In the case where the snow or ice has not been removed within 48 hours the Town of Thurmont may, at the cost and expense of the owner, cause the removal of the snow and/or ice.
Snow is not to be placed within the traveled portion, where the vehicles drive, of the street but may be placed in the parking areas along the curb. By not throwing or blowing the snow into the streets helps the Town to open and keep the streets passable. It is now a municipal infraction for throwing or blowing snow into the streets with a fine of $50.00.
The Board of Commissioners will be reviewing several new ordinances related to the Streets that will assist the Town employees remove the snow from the streets quicker; they are:
- Removal of all sports equipment from the streets and sidewalks. This will include basketball nets and hoops and skateboard ramps. The property owners will receive a notice to remove these items within 7 days or face a fine.
- Placing snow in a public way. This addresses property owners who push, plow, throw or blow snow and ice from their property and parking lots into or upon any public street. This will include businesses that have contractors clearing their parking lots. Snow and ice cannot be placed into or along any public street. It must remain upon their property. The first offense is a fine of $100, second offense $300, and the third and subsequent offense is a fine of $500. The cost of removing the snow or ice from the street will be the responsibility of the property owner in every incident.
- Snow Emergency Plan, where the Town of Thurmont can declare one of three phases of a Snow Emergency as well as designate streets as a Snow Emergency Route (street) that would prohibit the parking of all vehicles on the street. By prohibiting the parking of vehicles on the streets during declared a Snow Emergency the Town employees would be able to clear the streets from curb to curb quicker with less chance of striking and causing damage to vehicles and other items placed within and along the streets.
- Phase 1 Snow Emergency: When the Snow Emergency Plan for Frederick County has been placed into effect or when the Town of Thurmont declares a Snow Emergency. Snow tires or chains are required. Parking on designated Snow Emergency Routes (streets) is prohibited.
- Phase 2 Snow Emergency: Same requirements as Phase 1 with the addition of vehicles parked on Snow Emergency Routes (streets) are subject to impoundment at the owner’s expense.
- Phase 3 Snow Emergency: Same requirements as Phase 1 and 2 with the addition of only emergency vehicles and authorized emergency service vehicles are permitted on the streets of the Town of Thurmont.
For more information regarding changes to the Town Codes you are encourages to visit the Town of Thurmont’s website at www.thurmont.com or call the Town Office at 301-271-7313 or the Police Headquarters at 301-271-0905.
The Town of Thurmont and its employees ask for your cooperation and patience during the winter months as the few men clear 28 miles of streets, 1 ½ miles of Town sidewalks, 6 parking lots and 10 parks.
Kenny Oland
Senior Moments- Lifetime of Dedicated Service
October 11, 2010
Sweet memories, carry me back to my childhood and cradle me in your warmth of remembrance. These words formed in my heart as I sat captivated by our beloved priest Father David Shaum, while he shared his personal memories with us. Ed was very pleased that he knew many of the pastors Ed knew growing up in Baltimore County in the fifties and sixties. I asked the father, “When did you realize you wanted to to be a priest?” He replied “I have always wanted to be a priest, I was not forced into this, my mother simply said “I want you to be a good priest, if you are going to be one.”
Father Shaum is the eldest of four children. “If all my siblings had lived there would have been seven children, but only four survived, a sister Mary who was a graduate nurse, she died several years ago, then a brother Frank, he died of cancer, then my brother Joe, who still lives, he is married and he and Connie have two children, Michael and Helen Rebecca. “That is all my family ” “We lived on Middle Street in Taneytown, the house is still there today and right across is the present day post office. There are no Shaums living in Taneytown now, the Shaums are an old name there.” ” My grandfather had a meat market, that is where my dad learned the niceties of killing the deer, beef and hogs and trimming them up.” “My father had three businesses when we were growing up.” “He would go out to farms and buy chickens, eggs and butter and bring them in to the produce and process them, then take them to Baltimore where he had a route and he sold them, at the same time he had a ice business, he would come up here to Emmitsburg to the ice plant and buy big blocks of ice weighing three hundred pounds, they cut them down to 100, 50, and 25 lb blocks, he sold them in Taneytown. In those days you had refrigerators, you would put a block of ice in it” Later he got out of that and opened his own meat market, as a matter of fact his abattoir was so clean you could eat off the floor. His meats were good and well displayed, and as a courtesy if a lady bought a large order he would deliver it free of charge.”
Father Shaum went to Taneytown High school, four years and then he came here to Mount Saint Mary’s where he began his Latin and Greek. “I did not have Latin in high school, we had French.” After high school he applied to Saint Charles Seminary College in Baltimore, run by the Sulpicians. “Fr. Gleason-God rest him, wrote to me and said we can’t accept you because you’ve had no Latin, but if you come you will have to repeat a year of high school.” ” I did well in high school, so I thought well, why should I repeat another year. Hence, I came here, I took French the first year. The second year I took fundamental Latin and Greek. I was a day student.” “My father paid one hundred and fifty dollars a year for my tuition, seventy- five dollars a semester and he thought that was expensive, it was in those days.” he continued. Today it costs forty-five, forty-six thousand to go to school here and thirty some thousand of that is tuition.
Father graduated May 1942, and entered the seminary. When he went down to be adopted by the diocese, he was informed that you must be in the seminary five or six years to be ordained. “We went to school summer and winter because of the war, so I did five calendar years in four.”
“I was ordained at the Basilica, we had nine or ten in our class it was split at that time because Washington was apart of Baltimore. A year later it was divided. I was assigned to Saint Vincent’s in downtown Baltimore then to Saint Martin’s, then Saint John’s in Westminster,” Father stated.
In 1948, he came up here one day a week to teach music. ” Father Coad asked me if I would help form a men’s glee club here.” ” Our first concert was given in May 1949. May O’Keefe -God be good to her, she was a soloist with my pastor in Baltimore at Saint Vincent’s- Pastor John Sinnott Martin.” “What he did not know would fill a hollow tooth!” Fr. Shaum stated with conviction. ” The seminary prepares you for the life, like you were prepared for married life but you do not know until you live it day by day. So we have to do the same thing. Now, today they give you a year called the Pastoral Year that you live in the parish as a deacon which gives you some experience but it is not quite the same as when you are ordained and living with several priests.” Father explains.
Fr. Shaum replaced Fr. Stephen Melycher at Saint John’s in Westminster, as the assistant to Pastor James Dwyer. “I was to come down on the weekends. At that time Manchester was a mission church. I would go over on Sunday with two Notre Dame sisters to teach Catechism to the children. When Father Dwyer was transferred to Texas, MD- he was replaced by Father Murphy who came up from Reisterstown, he asked if I would help as a full time assistant. I said “Father that is an honor to have you ask me but, I love what I am doing- I’m teaching. I can help on weekends at the parishes. I have the best of two worlds teaching and serving here.” “I served several years at New Castle, Delaware and Harrisburg for thirteen years, doing their music.
“In the summer I took classes at Indiana University; Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois and Oakland University, Michigan “The finest one was Indiana- they have everything in their music department from jazz to grand opera.” ” I have been across the country several times, and found it to be a wonderful country.” This past August, Fr. Shaum, and Fr. Siry returned from a trip to Maine. “It has been fifty years since my last visit there. My first time there I was a Seminarian. Fr. Siry and I stopped at the Eastland Hotel in Portland, it was as elegant today, as I remembered it. Then we came down to Old Orchard Beach then to Kennebunkport.” ” I wanted to see where President Bush had their family compound.” “Oh, that is gorgeous, it’s right on a promontory that sits out and looks at the Atlantic ocean. In their little nearby Episcopal church where the Bush family attended, a plaque was placed, where Dorothy the presidents’s sister had donated certain items to the church and they recognized her generosity. We went on to West Hartford and stayed at the Avon Farm Hotel.” “I hope to go back there again,” he said smiling.
Treasured moments: Father Shaum wrote a book about his childhood in Taneytown in the 1930’s. “One of my fondest memory of my childhood was how we celebrated Christmas.” “We always had a lovely cedar Christmas tree, the smell in the house was unbelievable.” ” Aunt Manda, was our great aunt, a big tall lady, very impressive she would come in to help decorate the tree, we of course thought Santa did it.” ” We went to Mid-night mass, I would serve, it was a great honor.”
“The next day my dad would drive over to a near-by town, Littlestown and bring up my mother’s parents to have dinner with us, and we all would sit in the dining room where we had the Christmas tree and my Lionel train that Santa brought me.” “My father always had a personal thing he did at Christmas, he always made eggnog, anyone that came into the house Christmas day would enjoy a glass.” “Around four o’clock in the afternoon, my grandparents wanted to go home, my father would drive them, sometimes I would ride along.” he reminisced.
“There was a small hill adjacent to our house, when snow fell we kids would go down there on our sleds. Someone would stand down on the street to check for cars coming. When we would be out there in the afternoon, you were able to see the boughs of our Christmas tree in our dining room window….the ice cycles and glitter- sun splashed…..the lovely Christmas ornaments- the sun had touched them….. beautiful!” “Naturally we invited the Reverend Sisters to come and see our Christmas decorations. Their holy rule forbade them entering the house, they could only peer through the window to see our stunning setting.” Father Shaum shared his childhood memories with such verve, you could almost see the lights twinkling on the snow.
Senior Moments: One summer on a trip to Canada, we climbed this mountain peak and there a sign-was very arresting. “Take only your pictures… Leave only your foot prints… Enjoy the view”… Going up to the ice fields of Canada we went by ship to view the ice melting on the cataract. What a summer…. What a life…. Christus Vivat!
Father Shaum has dedicated his life to the preservation and teachings of the liturgy. I, being one of many have learned valuable understanding of the scriptures though his homilies.
Leadership in Fiscal Responsibility by Frederick County Commissioner President Jan Gardner
August 23, 2010
Jan H. Gardner
President, Board of County Commissioners
Leadership in Fiscal Responsibility
August 21, 2010
The election process for County Commissioner has focused on the county budget. For good or bad, much of the political rhetoric has little relation to reality. I feel compelled to provide some facts.
Frederick County’s operating budget for FY’11 is balanced, fiscally responsible, and provides essential services for the citizens of our community. The budget is smaller. In fact, the county budget has declined by 9.25% over the past two years reflecting the largest reduction in spending in the history of the County. The County Commissioners have dramatically cut spending, lived within our means, while at the same time providing essential services and improving the county’s bond rating.
Unlike the federal government, the county must have a balanced budget and cannot operate with a deficit, go into debt to fund ongoing operations or print money. The County Commissioners spent hundreds of hours making careful choices and difficult choices to responsibly balance the budget.
The purpose of the budget is to provide services. Frederick County is blessed with an exceptional quality of life. We have excellent public schools, a safe community, well maintained county roads and bridges, superb parks, and a library system enjoyed by 100,000 residents every month. The budget provides for education, public safety, roads and bridges, parks, libraries and a variety of other services. The budget reflects the priorities and values of the community.
Approximately 75% of the county budget is dedicated to public education and public safety including law enforcement, central booking, 911, fire and EMS, and the detention center. These are essential services that are fundamental to our high quality of life and our ongoing prosperity.
Education ensures a future generation of workers, productive citizens, and a prosperous community. Education is fundamentally important to the economic viability of the county. A well-qualified, well-educated workforce is the most important economic development tool county government has to attract new businesses and retain existing businesses.
When a citizen needs help, county government is ready to respond with law enforcement, fire, rescue, or another emergency response. These public safety services are a clear example of government services that work well each and every day to meet the needs of our community. One of the fundamental responsibilities of local government is to assure the safety of its citizens and the county budget ensures these services exist.
Every area of county government has been carefully reviewed and budgets reduced to avoid raising taxes in difficult economic times. Some of the outcomes of these budget reductions are apparent to citizens such as the increase in tuition at Frederick Community College, the reduction in library hours, reductions in staffing in school health, but many more are not so apparent such as the reduction in expenditures on road maintenance, summer programs in Head Start, and staffing reductions in virtually every agency.
The county workforce has been reduced by 8% and county employees have stepped to the plate to pick up the slack to ensure public services. County employees have not received any raises or salary improvements for the past two years. The County Commissioners are extremely grateful to our employees for their continued dedication, hard work and service to the community.
It is unfortunate that some candidates and pundits are suggesting that county spending has not been cut, that federal funds have been used to balance the budget when this is simply not true, and that an unmanageable deficit has been left for the future when in reality the difficult budget choices made to date have been fiscally responsible, ensure the delivery of essential services, and protect the long term prosperity of Frederick County. I urge voters to be cautious about the candidates who pretend to be fiscal budget hawks but have proposed no specific cuts and to beware of those who want to harm our exceptional educational system, risk public safety by irresponsibly proposing to lay off dozens of firefighters and EMTs, and cause harm to our quality of life and long-term prosperity.
My thanks to Commissioners Hagen and Gray and County Division Directors for their leadership and hard work in spending hundreds of hours fine tuning the budget for the benefit of the citizens of Frederick County. The County has been in good hands and I have faith that voters will recognize the difference between hard work and leadership and political bluster.
Shooting at Autombiles by George Wireman
July 6, 2010
“SHOOTING AT AUTOMOBILES”
Henry Louis Mencken was considered one of the most influential American writers, essayist and social critic during the first half of the 20th century. Born in Baltimore, Md. on September 12, 1880, he went into newspaper work at age 16. At age 25, he found himself as managing editor of the Baltimore Evening Herald. In 1906 he joined the Baltimore Sun and maintained staff relations with the Sun papers for 35 years .Mencken died in Baltimore on January 29, 1956 at age 76.
Growing up in Thurmont, I learned that the Wireman household was never without a copy of the Baltimore Sun because my mother was originally from Baltimore. I enjoyed the sports page and the writings of Mencken. His articles covered virtually every aspect of American life and provided interesting reading. One that caught my eye was Mencken’s story about a frightful dragon seen in and around Thurmont which included Graceham and Catoctin Furnace areas as well. Here is the story in Mencken’s own words. Enjoy it.
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“Not since the days of the Jabberwock and the annihilation of the Whangdoodle had there been such a commotion or state of dread and horror in a community as that which existed among some of the summer boarders of the Blue Ridge during the last few weeks.
Vague rumors, shrouded reports and very weird tales brought to the settlement by the mountaineers from the surrounding wilderness caused such excitement. All of these rumors, reports and tales were based upon the sudden appearance of a mysterious monster which roamed the countryside after dark which startled the native mountaineers first, and then the summer boarder contingency.
It was always one of the native mountaineers who encountered the strange creature, and it was always described as being of monster size, with flaming nostrils and blazing eyes. A dozen different persons saw it at as many different and widely separated places, and this was taken as evidence that, despite its monstrous preparations, the creature moved with lightning rapidity.
Some declared it must be a species of prehistoric bear, with which the mountains once abounded. Others were firm in their conviction that it was a dragon from the fact that several times it set the forest afire in its course. Still others held that it was an emissary delegated by the Old Boy himself, to accompany and watch over certain of his subjects in these parts.
Down around the neighborhood of Catoctin Furnace is where the monster was first seen. But it is not unusual for the natives of the Catoctin Mountains to see strange things and therefore no unusual anxiety was aroused. Next, however, came the report from ancient Graceham, where the residents have done nothing but die since the pious Moravians settled there somewhere along the middle of the eighteenth century.
For probably the first time in nearly two centuries Graceham sat up and gave evidence of having a pulse. At any rate, something throbbed. One dark and dismal night the monster passed right straight through the Main (and only) street. Some said it came like a blast from the mountain. Except for its terrific breathing (or was it the flapping of wings?) it made not a sound though it moved close to, if not on the ground. It had two great brilliant, flaring eyes and left behind it a cloud of choking sulphurous dust.
What staid old Graceham saw must be believed, and next came the reports from Slabtown, a little hamlet near Sabillasville. This time it was on a bright moon-light. One of the most prominent mountaineers of that section, a Mr. Hutzelmeyer, was aroused from his slumbers by a terrific hissing sound, followed by a shriek that almost froze his blood. So he said.
After his temperature began to rise again, Mr. Hutzelmeyer arose from his couch and holding his breath, he strained his sense of hearing to its capacity. This was not discredited by reliable persons who heard him say so himself.
According to Mr. Hutzelmeyer’s own voluntary statement as he repeated it nightly for three weeks at a little cross-roads store. He aroused other members of his family and they agreed with him that some creature, human or otherwise, was moaning and groaning “up the road a piece.”
Armed to their full strength, Mr. Hutzelmeyer, supported by three members of his family able to bear arms and Mrs. Hutzelmeyer with the most recent Hutzemeyer in her arms, set out to investigate. They were rewarded for their investigation by finding a man lying in the road.
Although fair Luna was shedding her rays in all her glory ,full as she was, this was not a case of ‘moonshine”. The man lying in the road was hurt, and badly hurt at that. Blood flowed from cuts and gashes on his head and face. He was bruised and battered all over, as if the ferocious mountain monster had tried to tear his clothes off, the better to feast on his flesh.”
In Part 1 of this story the frightful dragon roaming the countryside was sighted in the quiet little town of Graceham, just a stone’s throw East of Thurmont. Then came reports from Slabtown, not far from Sabillasville, when a very prominent mountaineer by the name of Hutzelmeyer, was aroused from his slumbers by a terrific hissing sound, followed by a loud shriek.
“The brave Hutzelmeyers decided to investigate. Just a short distance from their house, they found a man lying in the roadway. He was badly bruised and battered. Blood flowed from cuts and gashes on his face and head. There was no mistake about it, he must have encountered that ferocious mountain monster that had been reported being seen in Catoctin, Graceham and Sabillasville areas.
When the Hutzelmeyers reported about finding a body in the roadway, all of the residents of Slabtown turned out to investigate and inspect the scene of the mysterious attack.
It took several days of nursing before the Hutzelmeyers learned what happened to the man they found laying in the road. Reports were that the man was on his way to Jimtown, when suddenly a huge, dark animal with immense flaring eyes, snorting and spitting out flames of fire, sprang upon him just as he came to a bend in the road. He was helpless. He could do nothing but utter one blood-curdling shriek as he was borne to the ground. It was that shriek that had aroused the Hutzelmeyers from their slumbers. The man told of seeing the nameless monster hover over him just before he lost consciousness.
The only thing that was discovered during the Hutzelmeyer’s investigation was a thin narrow trail, but that was for a short distance only. Some thought it was due to the dragon having permitted his spiked tail to drag on the ground while swooping down upon his intended victim.
Nor was this the last of the awe-inspiring thing. Reports came from isolated places all the way from Emmitsburg to Pen Mar Park and all around for twenty some miles.. The Mountaineers told of how, being out late at night, they were frightened motionless by a huge monster rushing by them in the dark. They could catch the extraordinary brilliancy of its eyes and hear the swish of its wings, The Slabtown case was the only one where the creature showed any disposition to attack.
With terror spreading, the men were beginning to fear leaving their homes at night. Two farmer boys, out later than usual, reported having seen the thing where the first report of its existence originated. They were not far from Catoctin Furnace when they encountered the creature in the middle of the road, going faster than the Pen Mar Express. They were so frightened that they said they could only see two great big eyes and smoke and fire coming from its mouth and nostrils and a big black body as it shot by them.
Strange as it may seem, no one had ever reported seeing the thing in daylight, so they asumed it was a night prowler. A big posse was oprganized which explored all the mountain fastness in an effort to locate the beast’s lair.
Dogs of all descriptions accompanied the searchers.. The dogs ran down all manner of trails and were sent into every cave, hole, crack and crevice of the mountains, while the men beat through the brush and climbed almost inaccessible boulders, only to waste a week in a fruitless search.
Finally a council of war was held and it was decided that the men would take turns in patrolling the roads near their homes at night. But where to watch was the next problem, as the thing had been seen at points fully 20 miles apart within just a few hours. It was agreed then that men wouls be designated to watch some special night near wherever they happened to live.
It fell to the destiny of Jago Kniffle and Alphaeus Shingledecker to end the fright of the mountaineers, which seemed to be spreading to the surrounding settlements.. They were keeping their vigil beside a huge boulder near the road from Mudville to Hoggs Mill, when they were set to trembling by the sound of the monster so often described to them. First they heard the swish of the monster’s wings, and then the two huge eyes glared directly in their faces as the creature rushed around the bend in the road.
With shrieks of terror Jago and Alphaeus dropped their guns and sprang to their feet in a mad effort to escape before the monster should be down upon them. As the guns dropped to the ground from the nerveless hands, one of them was accidentally discharged and a short, snappy snort followed from the monster as it came to an unexpected stop.
Frightened as they were, Jago and his fellow hero noticed the creature’s evident injury after the discharge of the gun and finally mustered sufficient courage to creep cautiously back to the boulder. From behind its protecting shelter they heard voices and then they distinguished words never uttered in polite society. Still cautious, they carefully peeped around the boulder and beheld two men,
simultaineously swearing and mending a tire on a big automobile which had been punctured by the accidental discharge of the watcher’s gun.
Jago and Alphaeus lintened and decided not to announce their presence, but they watched until the strangers remounted their car and drove away. When the next day dawned Jago and Alphaeus proclaimed in stentorian tones that they stood their ground right in the middle of the road and when the monster approached they coolly and deliberately fired their shotguns into the monster and brought its mad flight to a stop.
There was some talk among the summer boarders of bringing action against two native mountaineers for shooting at automobiles, but with time everything quieted down and life in the area returned to its usual quiet routine”.
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Special Note: Henry Louis Mencken, American editor and critic, was born in Baltimore, Maryland September 12, 1880. At age 16 Henry went into the newspaper business. At age 25 he became managing editor of the Baltimore Evening Herald. In 1906, Mencken joined the Baltimore Sun and maintained staff relations with the Sun papers for 35 years Mencken died in Baltimore on January 29, 1956 at age 76.
GEORGE W. WIREMAN
Fitness Matters By George Puvel
June 18, 2010
Expert answers to your health and wellness questions
Question: With it being American Heart Month recently, I’m curious what dietary changes I should make in order to stave off heart disease? Just trying to be proactive rather than reactive!
Answer: Kudos for focusing on prevention! As far as diet is concerned, you could try following the DASH diet, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. This diet focuses on specific amounts of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and lean proteins. Sounds pretty healthy, right? In fact, the diet has been shown to reduce hypertension, and can also decrease the risk of heart disease and stroke over time. But even if you don’t follow a comprehensive diet, you should still try to limit your sodium intake, reduce your intake of saturated and trans fats, moderate your alcohol consumption, and increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids. All of these changes will go a long way in helping to protect your heart, and the rest of your cardiovascular system. If you want additional information, check out the American Heart Association website, www.americanheart.org, or consult with a registered dietitian.
Question: I lift 5 days per week consistently, but my strength gains have flat-lined. How do I continue to get stronger? I don’t think I can lift any more than I am right now. Help!
Answer: I don’t really have much information to go on here, but let’s see if I can provide some insight. First of all, there’s the distinct possibility that you’re working out too much. Maybe your volume (the combination of sets and reps) is too high-a common problem for those looking to gain strength as quickly as possible. And how long has it been since you’ve taken some time off to allow your body to fully recuperate from the stress of exercise? Some much-needed rest may do the trick, and amazingly, people often come back even stronger. I also wonder if you’re changing up your workouts enough. Many people get into the habit of using machines or free weights, but then never gravitate toward other forms of exercise. Cables, tubing, bands, kettlebells, medicine balls, and even bodyweight exercises can all increase strength, so you should try to vary up your routine regularly. Lastly, you have to remember that strength doesn’t just increase exponentially on a continual basis. There is a threshold that you’ll reach at some point, and you could be there already. If you feel like you need help with your current program, talk to a certified personal trainer.
Question: I see quite a few advertisements for multivitamins these days, but I’ve never really thought about taking one. Now that I’m the big 4-0, I’m focusing more on my health. Do you think taking a multi is a good idea?
Answer: In a word…yes! Nobody follows a “perfect” diet, so taking one makes sense. There are actually a number of health organizations that currently recommend multivitamin/ mineral (MVI) supplements for all individuals. I like to think of an MVI as insurance. You pay insurance for your house and your car, so why not take a multi to ensure that you’re getting all the nutrients you need to function and feel well? After all, there’s really no downside to taking one. In most cases, your body will use what it needs, and will eliminate what it doesn’t. The hard part is finding the right supplement. You should look for an MVI that is broad-spectrum, meaning it has a comprehensive list of essential nutrients that your body needs on a daily basis. You also want to make sure that the one you take includes these nutrients at functional dosages, which means that the ingredient levels actually affect your health in a beneficial way. Unfortunately, many of the most popular MVI’s only contain the Recommended Dietary Allowances, which are nutrient levels designed to prevent deficiency diseases, not necessarily enhance health. You should also look for products that are manufactured by reputable companies that follow good manufacturing practices and FDA regulations. There are plenty of well-formulated products on the market. If you need help choosing the one that’s right for you, contact a registered dietitian.
About the author: George Puvel is the club owner at Anytime Fitness in Thurmont. To submit a question for future articles, please contact the author at Thurmontmd@anytimefitness.com.
Thurmont Code Time Grass, weeds and empty houses, etc. by Kenny Oland
June 18, 2010
Grass, weeds and empty houses, etc.
Kenny Oland: koland@frederickcountymd.gov
As we move into summer, the grass and weeds are growing because we have been blessed with rain once again this spring. Unfortunately there are also a growing number of houses and buildings that are vacant or have been abandoned as the result of foreclosures, bankruptcies or other reasons. Some of those houses and buildings may be next to you and your home.
As I drive around town I do not always notice or know of properties that are empty. These empty houses and buildings can create a problem for you as well as the Town. They can be vandalized, become overgrown or become a hangout for juveniles during the evening, weekends, and the summer.
To assist the Police Department and the Code Enforcement Officer keep an eye on those empty houses and buildings we are asking that if you have one next to or near you that you call us at 301-271-0905, give us the address. Once we have information on these empty houses and buildings we will make checks to assure that these properties are secure as well as being taken care of. We also ask that you help us keep an eye on these properties. When you see something that you think is out of place or someone that is not known to you around the property that you call 301-600-2071 to have an officer check it out. This is the phone number to Frederick County Dispatch; they dispatch our Officers and is the quickest way to get an officer to you.
Chapter 126 - Streets and vehicle:
The Town of Thurmont has been reviewing and revising our Codes for the past two years, we are getting close to finishing the initial review and revisions. The Chapter dealing with Streets and Vehicles has been presented to the Board of Commissioners, they recommended some minor changes, which have been made, and will be presented to them for the final review. Addressed within this chapter is the placement of sports equipment within the streets.
There have been a number of complaints over the years regarding basketball hoops and other items placed within the streets and on the sidewalks. In Article V, Use of Streets - Prohibited Acts, §126-51. Prohibition on playing sports or games and or placement of sports equipment. All types of sports equipment shall not be placed or erected within 10 feet of any street, sidewalk or public way of the Town. This means that all basketball hoops and other sports equipment that are now placed in the streets, on the grass area between the street and sidewalk as well as the sidewalk will have to be removed.
Once this Chapter has been approved by the Board of Commissioners, all property owners will be given time to remove these items before we begin to issue civil citations, then the Town will remove them at the property owners expense.
Trash:
Blowing trash continues to be a problem throughout Town. As a reminder, once again, when you store or place your trash out for collection it is to be secured in a manner that prevents any contents of the trash bag, trash can, or recycling container from escaping. If trash does escape or is dropped by the trash contractor, it is your responsibility to clean it up. Don’t allow it to blow about your neighborhood for your neighbors to clean up. I’m sure that you don’t like cleaning up after someone else, so don’t make someone else clean up after you.
As a reminder, recycling is mandatory in Thurmont! By recycling you help reduce the tipping fees paid by the Town, just another way to reduce expenditures of the Town.
I hope that you have a safe and enjoyable summer.
What is part-time & full-time under new health care reform
June 18, 2010
What does health care mean for small business? by Vickie Grinder
Health Care Reform will have a major impact on all small business and large business effective 2014. The biggest concern among businesses seems to be if they are considered a small or large business which is the determining factor in employer health care for their employees. First let’s examine the employer mandate: the requirement that certain employers either provide an affordable package of essential health coverage to all full time works or pay a per-employee penalty. What mandates full-time? Large employers are defined under the health-care law as those with fifty or more full-time-equivalent employees. A small employer is a business with fewer than fifty full-time-equivalents is exempt from the law’s health coverage requirements and penalties. Full-time is anyone averaging at least thirty hours per week in any given month. Part-time is defined as a person who averages fewer than thirty hours a week in any given month. Employers are not required to provide health care coverage or pay penalties for part-time employees. Beginning January 1st, 2011, employers will be required to disclose the value of health benefits provided by the employer for each employee’s health insurance coverage on the annual W-2 form -this mandate for all businesses. Check with your accountant or visit irs.gov for more information on stipulations for your business.
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