March 22, 2009
May 11, 2009 Westminster, Carroll County Maryland municipal elections
20090322 Suzanne Albert for mayor ad
Kevin Dayhoff www.kevindayhoff.net http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/
Kevin Dayhoff - Soundtrack Division of Old Silent Movies - www.kevindayhoff.net - Runner, writer, artist, fire and police chaplain. The mindless ramblings of a runner, journalist, and artist: National and International politics. For community see www.kevindayhoff.org. For art, writing and travel see www.kevindayhoff.com
Kevin Dayhoff www.kevindayhoff.net http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/
20080827 WE Economic development will revitalize PA Avenue weked
http://explorecarroll.com/opinion/760/economic-development-will-revitalize-pennsylvania-avenue/
Related on www.kevindayhoff.net: Westminster File PA Ave
Related on www.Westgov.net: Westminster File PA Ave
Alcohol, prohibition, mysterious women and the roaring '20s
05/16/08 EAGLE ARCHIVE by
Prohibition became the law of the land after the 18th Amendment went into effect on Jan. 16, 1920, but Carroll Countians had already voted to outlaw the sale of alcohol six years earlier in 1914.
Throughout the roaring '20s, until prohibition was repealed on Dec. 5, 1933, by the 21st Amendment, many legendary accounts of stills, moonshiners, speakeasies and enforcement raids became a part of a folklore and story-telling tradition in the county.
If only half of the stories are true,
A May 18, 1923, newspaper account stirred the kettle about one such event -- a May 5 raid on the North Branch Hotel by prohibition agents.
Read the entire column here: Alcohol, prohibition, mysterious women and the roaring '20s
Roads, reservoirs, property rights and four-letter words
05/09/08 EAGLE ARCHIVE by
The state of the roads has always been a hot topic in
History frequently mentions street projects. In the
Nearly 40 years later, on April 27, 1927, an emergency bill was passed in the General Assembly that authorized
Alas, then-Gov. Albert C. Ritchie vetoed it.
(The year of 1927 was not a good one for
Speaking of roads, a reader's question asked why there are so many sharp curves on old county roads?
The answer is: In days gone-by, roads went in between and around property lines. Agricultural fields and property lines were more important than straightening out roads and using eminent domain -- the means by which government takes land for public projects -- was out of the question.
And that leads to another question posed in the past several months, asking if
Eminent domain is a four-letter word in Carroll. Property rights have always been a sacred cow in
Panic, depression, recession ... and Dick Cheney in a rabbit suit
05/02/08 EAGLE ARCHIVE by
This is the time of the year when a young man's fancy turns to the budget process of
In reading through historical economic accounts (which beats reading the most recent fiscal accounts, by the way) budget processes have never been easy.
The economy dominates the news these days; especially the number of people losing their homes to foreclosure.
Read the entire column here: Panic, depression, recession ... and Dick Cheney in a rabbit suit
Westminster came of age by following railroad tracks
04/21/08 EAGLE ARCHIVE by
One of my fondest memories of growing up in
The railroad is interwoven throughout much of the fabric of
Joseph... [Read full story]
Fire in
04/13/2008 by
King’s sad anniversary reminds us of Carroll’s own history
04/06/2008 by
Parades, impact fees, mail service ... and Dwight Dingle in a bathtub?
04/02/08 by
EAGLE ARCHIVE
Time for a little spring-cleaning, in which we'll catch up with answering some readers' questions.
Recently I was asked about Easter parades in
Rolling out a few good eggs, and our Easter Sunday best
03/26/08 by
EAGLE ARCHIVE
Happy Easter. Yes it's not quite warm outside, although warmer weather should be around the corner. And yes, it seems like Christmas was just yesterday.
We all have favorite Easter memories. For those of us who grew up in a church, Easter marked the opportunity to wear our "Easter Sunday best," i.e. new clothes.
Palm Sunday 1942 was a time of high snow and higher anxiety
03/14/08 EAGLE ARCHIVE by
Many people have been commenting about how early Easter is this year. In fact, the last time Easter was as early as March 23 was 1913.
But a later Easter doesn't ensure good weather for Holy Week. I wonder how many readers remember the Palm Sunday blizzard of 1942. It was the fifth worse snowstorm in
http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2008/03/20080316-carroll-sunday-eagle-palm.html
20080309 The Sunday Carroll Eagle: “History will know us by our trash”
http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2008/03/20080309-sunday-carroll-eagle-history.html
Sunday Carroll Eagle: “History will know us by our trash”
Sunday Carroll Eagle March 9, 2008 by
I cannot find my March 9th, 2008 Sunday Carroll Eagle column on the Westminster Eagle web site.
Pasted below, please find the column as it was written. It is my understanding that the column was altered for publication…
Ever since the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, many of us has felt that the best management approach to solid waste was source reduction and recycling. It would take 18 long years to get the Maryland Recycling Act passed in 1988. That legislation required a recycling rate of 20 percent.
Twenty years later, getting the recycling rate increased is still illusive. In 1998, on the 10-year anniversary of the law, the
Later in the article, the $250 million cost of recycling 2.5 million tons was compared to the $83 million it would’ve cost to landfill it instead. The rest of the article went downhill from there.
Those of us who are opposed to landfilling were less than pleased. Four decades after the first Earth Day, the recycling rate in
20080309 The Sunday Carroll Eagle: “History will know us by our trash”
http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2008/03/20080309-sunday-carroll-eagle-history.html
Traffic always made us see red
Traffic always made us see red
02/29/08 EAGLE ARCHIVE By
The concern over traffic congestion, safety and speeding tend to surface with every discussion of growth and quality of life in
Perhaps the first mention of an effort to address the problem of speeding in our county came on or about June 20, 1839. According to a history of the Westminster Police Department, it was then that a speeding ordinance was passed stating:
"No person shall run or drive through the town of
The life, and the lasting local influence, of Robert Moton
02/01/08 EAGLE ARCHIVE by
Construction continues these days at the site of the 28,000-square-foot former
After approximately $2.3 million in renovations, the Carroll County Board of Elections, Carroll Department of Recreation and Parks and Change Inc., a nonprofit that works with the developmentally disabled, are slated to move their offices there.
Questions about the old school building are posed to me from time to time, but the question I'm asked most frequently, especially from younger folks who are new to
For 115 years, Westminster's band of brothers ... and sisters
January 13, 2008 EAGLE ARCHIVE by
20080113 Westminster Municipal Band: For 115 years, Westminster's band of brothers ... and sisters
http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2008/01/20080113-westminster-municipal-band-for.html
For 115 years, Westminster's band of brothers ... and sisters
01/11/08 by Kevin E. Dayhoff
EAGLE ARCHIVE
Below please find the long – unedited version of the column…
Just before the holidays got into full swing, I had the pleasure of attending the Westminster Municipal Band’s end of the year Christmas party and annual meeting.
It is certainly not a very well kept secret that this former Westminster Mayor and his family are madly in love with the Westminster Municipal Band. And it's not just because I'm a washed-up trumpet player.
Usually when one thinks of the Westminster Municipal Band, visions of “Mom, Country, and Apple Pie” come to mind.
The purpose of leadership today is to build community. Certainly one of the chief builders of our community has been the Westminster Municipal Band.
However, the rich history of the band includes being part of rapid deployment force to hotspots around the globe, a machine gun section, and a rumored reputation of being a heavy metal grudge-garage band. Who knew?
If a Greek mythologist were to write the history of the Westminster Municipal Band, they would write the Band's Mother is the history and tradition of the Westminster Community and the Father is the 29th Division National Guard Regimental Band. That Greek mythologist would also want to write that the band's ancestral home is
The roots of the present Westminster Municipal Band are found in 1920, but “there are records of a Westminster Band dating back as far as 1860,” according to the band’s director, Sandy Miller, in a July 2004 interview.
However, to the best of our knowledge, it was 1893 when it was first incorporated as the Westminster City Band of Carroll County.
It was around this time that Company H First Infantry Maryland National Guard was organized in Frizzleburg in 1898. This unit later evolved into the famous 29th Division of the Maryland National Guard. Part of the Westminster Municipal Band's lineage can be traced back to the First Maryland Infantry Band consisting of the Westminster Units of the Maryland National Guard.
20080113 Westminster Municipal Band: For 115 years, Westminster's band of brothers ... and sisters
http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2008/01/20080113-westminster-municipal-band-for.html
Shedding a little light on early Christmas tree decorations
December 23, 2007 EAGLE ARCHIVE by
Christmas reminds us of worry, and glory, of downtown business
December 16, 2007 EAGLE ARCHIVE by
20071104 The Sunday Carroll Eagle column of October 28 2007
http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2007/11/20071104-sunday-carroll-eagle-column-of.html
Gist worried about being forgotten but not quite gone
The Sunday Carroll Eagle column of October 28 2007
Below please find my October 28th, 2007 column and it was submitted.
Sunday Eagle
Ghost Stories in
October 28th, 2007 by
Of the horror stories of Carroll’s yesteryear, none was greater than the very real fear of being buried alive. In today’s world, society’s collective faith in the modern advances of the medical arts has gone a long way in alleviating the fear of being buried alive; a fear which was rampant in the 1800s.
A few years ago, local historian Jay Graybeal retold an account by Ruth Gist Pickens about the fear of being buried alive held by one of
It seems that Colonel Gist maintained a coffin in a portion of his bedroom for the last years of his life; “into which he would have his personal servant lay him out and then call the family to comment on his appearance. Each time he would ask them to promise not to bury him until the third day after his death.”
20071104 The Sunday Carroll Eagle column of October 28 2007
http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2007/11/20071104-sunday-carroll-eagle-column-of.html
When it comes to beets, timing is everything
IN THE GARDEN WITH MR. BEE
I haven't grown beets for a while. So when I mentioned to Judy, my wife, that I'd learned of a variety -- "Lutz Green Leaf" -- that remains tender as it grows larger, she suggested that I sow some seeds right away.
Timing is important, you see, especially when it comes... [Read full story]
They come from opposite ends of the county and their sports are as different as night and day, but Tyler Mullen of
And without their leadership and... [Read full story]
Stream is proving ground for healthy water
On a chilly late March morning, Ted Hogan, an environmental scientist with Hunt Valley-based URS Corp., threads his way through briar patches, bogs, locust groves and back yards as he follows a meandering stream that runs through several Eldersburg subdivisions.
Now and then, Hogan, a cont... [Read full story]
Spring is a great time to get kids reacquainted with outdoor Carroll
MOM ON A MISSION
It's taken some time, but spring appears to finally be arriving. The days are getting warmer, my weeping cherry is turning into a beautiful fountain of pink and the birds are flocking to our feeders.
Hearing the kids' faint voices outside on the swing set while I'm making dinner...
[Read full story]
More Headlines News Briefs
Greenmount Station on a fast track after expansion
Greenmount Station's Crab and Cheddar Quiche
Parades, impact fees, mail service ... and Dwight Dingle in a bathtub?
New Windsor agency helps distribute life-saving device
I wanted to teach about 911, but instead I dialed a wrong number
For pages, Annapolis is an open book
Rolling out a few good eggs, and our Easter Sunday best
Local acts soar to Top 10 in Carroll's 'Idol' competition
Fighting the urge for an Easter bonnet and all the thrills upon it
Captain Dan rides on the seafood wave
'Sitting' pretty means having faith in who's watching the kids
Palm Sunday 1942 was a time of high snow and higher anxiety
Asking 'why' should come before offering 'what I think'
Traffic always made us see red
Toy show, auction connects with childhood memories
Our 'cherry-ice' trees offer a delicious winter scene
Museum unveils Taylor's 'wild' vision
Birthday gifts? Tread lightly ... in high heels and boxing gloves
A turtle's pace, but a day of reckoning for Solomon
To raise healthier kids, should we get more physical in school?
Researching a few 'first class' experiences in Carroll County
Maggie's continues to grow on Westminster
Web series helps teens connect to the world
The life, and the lasting local influence, of Robert Moton
Sportsman's Hall ... and airplane hangar
Skating history, from party 'crashing' to fitness
Mason bees buzz in as honeybees buzz out
Coming clean to ease pain of cancer
We can't understand the kids, but in this case it's a good thing
20080518 Sunday Carroll Eagle running chron as of May 18 2008
Roads, property rights, recklessness, four letter words, reservoirs, and ruin
Long version of my Sunday Carroll Eagle column for Sunday, May 11, 2008
By
Writer’s note: A shorter version of this column appears in the Sunday Carroll Eagle on May 11, 2008: Roads, reservoirs, property rights and four-letter words Below please find an earlier – longer draft of the column… KED
Road construction and maintenance has always been a hot topic in
History frequently mentions discussion of funding street maintenance in
In another example, on April 27, 1927, an emergency bill was passed in the Maryland General Assembly that authorized
However, Governor Albert C. Ritchie vetoed it. 1927 was not a good year for
This leads me to a reader’s question from some time ago: why there are so many sharp curves on old county roads. The answer is that the roads went in between and around property lines. In days gone-by, agricultural fields and property rights were far more important than straightening out roads and using eminent domain was totally out of the question.
This brings to mind a question poised by a number of folks in the last several months: has
The short answer is no – never. Eminent domain is a “four letter word” in
In days gone by, our county population was considerably smaller and we were a close-knit community; therefore government was always able to come to mutually agreeable terms when it came to projects involving the good of the greater community.
The long answer is that a number of years ago - in the only example of eminent domain even being discussed was a convoluted road right-of-way dispute in the southern part of the county. A solution was eventually found in which eminent domain was ultimately not used.
Recently, the term, eminent domain, has been used rather recklessly by folks that are obviously not aware of our history and traditions.
Which brings us to the anniversary of another reason eminent domain is so unpopular in
On April 10, 1931, Governor Ritchie signed into law the “Legislative Act of the
Ill feelings about that legislation have long-since become a part of the “personality” of
The legislation said: “The City of
Salt is poured in the wound every time
Okay, now that we have got that little bit of unpleasant history behind us; last week’s Sunday Carroll Eagle history trivia question must have been much harder than I anticipated. I asked: “What American president made a whistle-stop appearance in
It was President Theodore Roosevelt. Only one person got it right. The person who got it right must be hiding in an undisclosed location with Vice-President Dick Cheney as they only identified themselves as “PATMD1950.” Another day – another mystery.
For this week's Sunday Carroll Eagle trivia question for the famed coffee mug, let’s try Civil War history. Who was the legendary Confederate cavalry commander, who was delayed on his way to the Battle of Gettysburg by “Corbit’s Charge,” as his unit came through
Think you know? Drop me a line at kdayhoff@carr.org, and I might just pull your name for the incredible coffee mug. And please put Sunday Carroll Eagle in the subject line. Thanks.
When he is not watching the History Channel with a big bowl of grits,
20080511 Roads, property rights, recklessness, four letter words, reservoirs, and ruin by
At the sixth annual Fallfest Gala, the Westminster mayor and Common Council, Westminster Fallfest, Inc., and the Westminster Recreation and Parks Advisory Board kicked off a capital campaign to replace the Westminster Municipal Playground concession stand with a new two-story multi-purpose community building.
At the event held last Saturday at Martin’s Westminster, Evelyn and Caroline Babylon represented the family of the late former Westminster Common Council president David S. Babylon, Jr., and presented the Fallfest Paving the Road to a Better Community Committee with a pledge of $50,000 in his memory, to get the capital campaign off to a good start.
The gift to the city of Westminster is in honor of Mr. Babylon who dedicated his life to public service for the community he loved.
Mr. Babylon’s daughter, Caroline announced the memorial gift on behalf of the family and turned the podium over to her Mom, Evelyn Babylon.
Mrs. Babylon, remarked: “The last night of the last family vacation in which David was able to participate, the whole family was sitting at the long dinner table – about 20 of us – and Dave nudged me with his elbow, and, gesturing with his other hand, said, ‘Look what we started!’ It was, indeed, a scene of joyful conviviality.
“The family joins me in believing that David would be proud to be here [he loved parties like this] and add his voice of approval to the kick-off of this campaign. We think he would nudge each of you to join in this endeavor so that we could soon all say, ‘Look what we started!’”
Mr. Babylon began a lifelong love affair of service to our community when he joined the Westminster Fire Engine and Hose Company #1 on June 1st, 1949. Serving in the fire department was another of the passions in his life. He served for many years as secretary/treasurer. He had fond memories of the Westminster Volunteer Fire Company’s annual summer carnivals which were held at the playground.
Mr. Babylon was born on September 4, 1923 in Westminster, and when he was a child, the city did not have a playground. The Westminster Municipal Playground was not inaugurated until 1936 and dedicated by the Westminster Mayor George E. Matthews, Council President Joseph L. Mathias, councilmembers Walter H. Davis, Edwin S. Gehr, Jesse C. Royer, and City Attorney D. Eugene Walsh, in 1937.
By the time the playground was in use, Mr. Babylon was attending Valley Forge Military Academy. He graduated from Valley Forge in 1941 and was one of the youngest Captains commissioned in the U. S. Army during World War II.
When Mr. Babylon was young, providing recreational opportunities was a hot-button political topic as was exemplified by an editorial in the Democratic Advocate, on April 7, 1922, “Westminster, and the Recreation Problem.”
The lack of a municipal playground while growing up in Westminster only exacerbated his understanding later, during his public career, of providing community recreation opportunities.
After Mr. Babylon served in World War II, he graduated from Gettysburg College in January 1948 with a BA degree in Economics. He continued in a business, Cunocar Bookkeeping Service, which he had begun in his college years. Many in Westminster have fond memories of Mr. Babylon’s green “office-on-wheels,” in which he would travel from business to business. He sold his business and retired in 1986.
Mr. Babylon, who passed away at age 82 at his home on August 22, 2006, served on the Westminster Common Council for 25 years, from 1964 until he retired in 1989. For 16 of those years, he served as the Common Council President as did his grandfather, F. Thomas Babylon, in 1898 and 1899.
In the mid to late 1970s, the Westminster mayor and Common Council worked hard in a major downtown revitalization effort of Westminster’s business district. To celebrate the successes of that effort, Fallfest was born in 1978.
Mr. Babylon was an enthusiastic supporter of Fallfest. In her remarks last Saturday night Mrs. Babylon noted “Dave was an enthusiastic member of the Common Council when the idea of Fallfest was introduced, and he wholeheartedly backed the idea. Indeed, even when he was not fully mobile, he acquiesced to going down to the celebration in a wheelchair – and fully enjoyed it, of course.”
Westminster Mayor Tom Ferguson has fond memories of the Westminster Playground as a kid growing up in Westminster. He remembers that “my brother and I were among the first to play Little League Baseball (there when the baseball program started) in the 1950s… Along with folks such as Bob and Jim Reck, Art Caples, Pinky Bixler, and Butch Martin.”
“This is another classic example of a successful private –public partnership to what is already a gem in Westminster. If I may say so, I am very appreciative of this generous - magnificent gift from the Babylon family - especially in light of Mr. Babylon’s years of service to the community. He was always so much involved in civic projects and improvements. This will certainly attract other donors to step up to the plate to get it done.”
Doing it right has been an overriding theme of the City. Westminster director of recreation and parks, Ron Schroers, noted that the City has been on a continuous improvement program for the Westminster Playground for the past 15 years. “By using grants and private donations we’ve built pavilions, replaced playground equipment, re-done the basketball and tennis courts…”
“It’s really great to see the community to come together to make this city project happen. This is one of the most heavily used parks in Carroll County… (One of the reasons, besides the facilities is because) it is the best-shaded park…”
Carroll County owns 24 parks in the county and the City of Westminster has eight.
Mr. Schroers noted that in addition to the Babylon family gift, $66,000 has already been obtained for the building from a combination of Carroll County’s and Westminster’s “Program Open Space” state grant.
He hopes to begin construction of the new building after the 30th Fallfest takes place this September. Cost estimates are currently being developed, however preliminary indication is that more money is needed and the City and the Fallfest Committee are currently looking for additional donors of materials, money and in-kind work donations.
The project began in the summer of 2006 according to the Program Open Space grant proposal. At that time:
“The Westminster Mayor and Common Council determined that the existing concession stand needed to be replaced. The 1 story building has a leaky roof, rotten wood siding, no environmental controls, and is a general eyesore.”
“After studying the cost of repairing the existing building, it was determined to be more cost effective to raze the current building … and build a new structure.” (Before the building falls down.)
“The expanded facility will be available for many community groups for a variety of uses. What was formerly only a concession stand and sports equipment storage, will now also have available a multi-purpose meeting facility.
The second story will be made available as offices/workspace for Westminster Fallfest … which is partnering in the building … by securing additional funding, donations of money, materials, and volunteers. This project continues the City’s investment … to make it the best and most heavily used recreation facility in Westminster…”
Andy Biller is in his 18th year serving on the Westminster Recreation and Parks Advisory Board. He currently serves as the chair.
Mr. Biller said, “I grew up in Carroll County and as a youngster I spent a lot of time in town and learned to appreciate the Westminster Playground as one of Carroll County’s true community treasures. The park has always been the shining moment in the City. I’m proud to be a part of yet another historic improvement for our community.”
Mr. Biller has been “impressed with how hard Westminster Council President Roy Chiavacci has worked on constantly improving not only the playground but all of Westminster’s recreation opportunities.”
Mr. Biller was in a meeting recently with President Chiavacci to review the capital campaign and building plans. President Chiavacci is said to have exclaimed, this is “awesome.”
Once the building is constructed the Optimist Club “is going to have our meetings there and use it to support the clubs’ youth activities in the community,” said Darlene Dorsey, the president of Optimist Club of Westminster.
The Optimist Club has “been around for about 50 years. We took over the Little League program years ago from the Civitan Club. Boy, am I excited. I saw the plans the other day when I visited with Ron Schroers… We love the playground improvements. I remember the wooden bleachers and they have been replaced with nice new metal bleachers… (The building plans have) exceeded our expectations. We’re looking forward to it; the present building is an eyesore.”
The Westminster director of public works, Jeff Glass, is also looking forward to the project. After all, it is his responsibility to keep failing buildings such as this useful and safe.
When he heard about the new playground community building, he said that he “fully understands and values the need to expand” the city’s public works and recreation infrastructure.
Mr. Glass, who “began working for the City in 1982 and worked with Mr. Babylon for a number of years when he was the Council President and I was a student of his thinking process… This is exactly the way Mr. Babylon would have wanted it done. Don’t just replace it – prepare for the future.
Take the opportunity to stretch a dollar further and leverage the tax dollars to build what the community needs for the future while the building is being replaced…”
Mr. Glass went on to recall how “Mr. Babylon was known for being fiscally conservative when he was on the council,” and always encouraged the private sector to step up to the plate for needed infrastructure improvements before he turned to taxpayers...
Tom Beyard, the City’s director of planning agreed. He has also worked for the City long enough to have worked with Mr. Babylon. “It’s always a great idea when the public section and the philanthropists can get together for the community.”
Carroll County Commissioner Dean Minnich also knew Mr. Babylon well; they were in the Lions Club together. He recalled that in past years, “the roots of Carroll County recreation were the service clubs.”
He remembers that “it was the Civitan Club that started the Little League program at the playground back in the 1950s… Drs. Klinger Jr. and Senior… (And) the business community took care of the tasks long before government got involved… A bunch of young fathers got involved to make sure softball, soccer, and baseball (were available.) Those guys used to go out on their own time and rake, mow, lime the fields, pick up rocks…”
Westminster Councilwoman Suzanne Albert, (the granddaughter of Westminster Mayor David E. Walsh May 20, 1912 – May 15, 1916,) grew up at 134 East Main Street in Westminster.
She said that “growing up (the playground) was my backyard... Nothing like having your own playground practically in your backyard. I could walk to it. I guess I took it for granted. I just thought that every community had a playground like that. (Nevertheless) we can’t take it for granted and we need to take care of it for future generations. It’s important to sustain such an important community asset.”
Mrs. Evelyn Babylon reiterated, “It is important that we continue to build upon the work of those who went before us and maintain and improve the park for our children’s children. That’s the way Dave would have wanted it.”
Councilwoman Albert, who knew Mr. Babylon well, said the community is thankful for what Mr. and Mrs. Babylon have started – and not just the playground…
If you’d like to contribute, checks can be made out to:
Westminster Fallfest “Paving the Road,”
Westminster Fallfest, Inc.,
P.O.B. 805, Westminster, Maryland, 21158
(410) 848-9000
20080414 A History and overview of The David S. Babylon Jr. Community Building project