Carroll County

Carroll and Frederick county residents, civic organizations, schools, groups and property owners are being invited to take part in a stream naming contest to have their suggestions officially designated by the U.S. Geological Survey. The contest, known as "The Monocacy Starts Here," is sponsored by the Monocacy Scenic River Citizens Advisory Board. Board members said in a press release this week that they recently realized that many streams flowing into the Monocacy still remain unnamed — more than 400 years after the region's first maps were drawn.

A man in Carroll County was checking his mailbox Wednesday afternoon when he discovered a pipe bomb, the Office of the State Fire Marshal said. The man was not injured. The mailbox was described as "rural," in the 3800 block of McMullen Road in Taneytown, the fire marshal said. The home's owner, James A. Sandel, found the bomb about 4:15 p.m. and called 911. The bomb was disposed of, and McMullen Road was closed for about five hours. Anyone with information about who placed the bomb in the mailbox is asked to contact the Office of the State Fire Marshal at 410-859-7152.

With its commanding view of roof tops and tree tops stretching endlessly north, Legend Hill in Timonium is similar to most previous show houses in that it is old and stately. Legend Hill, off Timonium Road, is named for legendary Baltimore quarterback Johnny Unitas, who owned the house from 1971 to 1987. "That's what women come to see," Carolyn Stadfeld, design chair for the Baltimore Symphony Associates, which produces the annual fundraiser, said. And they come in droves, more than 8,000 people, unstymied by age or infirmity. Some people come in wheelchairs and walkers with their daughters and granddaughters to help them through, Stadfeld said.

The Carroll County Sheriff's Office said a deputy was taken to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma on Tuesday after his patrol car collided with another vehicle on Route 140 west of Westminster. Master Deputy Matthew Wilson, a five-year veteran of the Sheriff's Office, was traveling west on Route 140 near Mayberry Road at about 3:12 p.m. when his car collided with a Dodge RAM 1500 operated by Darian Barron, of Westminster, officials said. The sheriff's office said its initial investigation suggested Barron was making a left turn from Mayberry Road on to eastbound Route 140 when the crash occurred.

A Sykesville man whose wife died 10 days after she gave birth to their son last year has sued hospitals and doctors in Howard and Carroll counties, alleging that medical negligence led to her death.Timothy Oechsler, 36, filed the wrongful death lawsuit Tuesday in Howard County Circuit Court on behalf of himself and his 19-month-old son, Ryan. The suit does not specify a monetary award for damages in the death of Teresa Oechsler.The lawsuit alleges that Howard County General Hospital, the Columbia-based doctors' office of Esposito, Mayer, Hogan and Associates, and two of that office's partners, Dr. Margot E. Watson and Dr. Mary P. Hogan, were negligent in their care of Teresa Oechsler during her four-day stay at that hospital.

A part of Carroll County's retail history ended Thursday when the county's first chain department store changed its name from Leggett to Belk.Despite a name change after 32 years in Westminster, the department store's longtime customers will find a family tie to Leggett's earliest days in Westminster.Carl Rosen Jr., Belk's assistant manager, is the son of the manager of the original Leggett store at the Westminster Shopping Center on Route 140. Carl Rosen Sr. retired from Leggett in 1985 before the store moved to Cranberry Mall.

The first gold medal for bravery in this high school season goes to Westminster cross country coach Jim Gilford.With raindrops falling all around him and impending darkness, Gilford did it all in the Carroll County high school cross country championships last Friday at Western Maryland College.Gilford directed the entire varsity and junior varsity meet, coached the Westminster boys and girls teams, handed out team scores and individual results, and in his "spare time" conducted post-meet interviews.

Carroll County's public assistance and food stamp recipients, approximately 1,500 of them, didn't get welfare checks or food stamps in the mail this month.Instead, they got new cards that allow them to withdraw cash from MOST automatic teller machines and pay with plastic at the supermarket.The conversion "is going very well, considering," said David Ensor, assistant director for income maintenance at the Carroll County Department of Social Services.He said the staff found only a few glitches, such as incorrect codes entered into the computer.

Arc seeks nominations for Carroll County awards WESTMINSTER — The Arc of Carroll County is accepting nominations for its 2012 Community Awards. Each year The Arc recognizes individuals and organizations who have made a difference in the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The awards will be presented at the Annual Dinner and Community Awards to be held on May 8 at Martin's Westminster. The awards include: Timothy J. Atkinson Award — Presented to a direct care employee of The Arc of Carroll County.

When Debbie Buenger, a former elementary school physical education teacher now at East Middle School in Westminster, introduced the game of cricket to her class one rainy afternoon last year, the excitement blew her away. "The kids absolutely loved it," Buenger said. Within the first hour, the class started to grasp the basics and was off playing its first competitive game. There were a few hitches, like remembering to hold onto the bat, but overall Buenger couldn't have been more surprised.

Sunday 5/5 Wine and art Sykesville will host a Fine Art and Wine Festival on May 5 at noon, on Main Street. More than 60 artists, local and national wine, food and live entertainment. Wildflower walk Walk through Hashawha at Bear Branch Nature Center, 300 John Owings Road, with a naturalist on May 5 at 1 p.m. Learn about flowers' lore and uses. Cost is $5. 410-386-3580. Family sounds Carroll County Community Concert Association presents Fabulous Family Entertainment on May 5 at 3 p.m. at Westminster High School, 1225 Washington Road, Westminster.

There has been much in the news following the end of the 2013 General Assembly session about Gov. Martin O'Malley's "Rain Tax. " This law was actually passed in 2012, and at the time I called it the worst bill passed that year. It forces Maryland's "metro" counties to enact a tax on the amount of impervious surface people have on their property. The statewide amount of the tax could reach into the billions. The reason it catapulted into the news in recent weeks was a failed attempt to pass legislation delaying the implementation of this tax for two years.

Jim Horn, the athletic director at South Carroll High School, was to be honored April 27 by the Maryland State Athletic Directors Association as Athletic Director of the Year for District 1B. The association recognizes representatives from each of its 13 districts each year who have made a significant impact on the lives of students and used athletics to achieve progress in the social and cultural environment of the school and community.  ...

A city councilwoman is challenging Baltimore's plan to charge businesses some of the highest stormwater fees in the state - and divert some of the money that had gone to Chesapeake Bay cleanup to help fund property tax cuts. Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke says the Rawlings-Blake administration's stormwater plan would create a financial hardship for many local businesses. And Clarke and environmental groups object to raising revenue intended for pollution abatement to help pay for property tax relief.

"In the name of my savior, I pray," is how one Carroll County commissioner concluded his prayer to open a recent meeting of the county's governing board. Now two county residents are asking a federal judge to end what they say is the board's regular practice of opening meetings with prayers that are "frequently Christian in nature. " In a lawsuit filed this week in U.S. District Court in Baltimore, Neil Ridgely of Finksburg and Bruce Hake of Union Bridge say invocations of "Jesus" and "the savior" by county commissioners during public meetings violate the constitutional separation of church and state.

Laura Doolan, an English teacher at Westminster High School, was named Carroll County 2013 Teacher of the Year during the Board of Education's employee recognition ceremony on Thursday. "Ms. Doolan is a champion of students, working tirelessly beyond expectations to nurture students' academic growth and social well-being," said Janetta Jayman, supervisor of English and World Languages for Carroll County Public Schools. "Her belief in creating successful learning experiences for all students has been the foundation for her own successful teaching career.

"In the name of my savior, I pray," is how one Carroll County commissioner concluded his prayer to open a recent meeting of the county's governing board. Now two county residents are asking a federal judge to end what they say is the board's regular practice of opening meetings with prayers that are "frequently Christian in nature. " In a lawsuit filed this week in U.S. District Court in Baltimore, Neil Ridgely of Finksburg and Bruce Hake of Union Bridge say invocations of "Jesus" and "the savior" by county commissioners during public meetings violate the constitutional separation of church and state.

A man in Carroll County was checking his mailbox Wednesday afternoon when he discovered a pipe bomb, the Office of the State Fire Marshal said. The man was not injured. The mailbox was described as "rural," in the 3800 block of McMullen Road in Taneytown, the fire marshal said. The home's owner, James A. Sandel, found the bomb about 4:15 p.m. and called 911. The bomb was disposed of, and McMullen Road was closed for about five hours. Anyone with information about who placed the bomb in the mailbox is asked to contact the Office of the State Fire Marshal at 410-859-7152.

North Carroll announced the hiring of Rob Vaughn as boys basketball coach on Tuesday. Vaughn, a graduate of the school, previously coached the Panthers from 2003 to 2006, and he takes over the program from his brother, Chris, according to the school. Vaughn was an assistant coach at McDaniel College under Bob Flynn, and he currently teaches physical education at Shiloh Middle School in Carroll County.

With its commanding view of roof tops and tree tops stretching endlessly north, Legend Hill in Timonium is similar to most previous show houses in that it is old and stately. Legend Hill, off Timonium Road, is named for legendary Baltimore quarterback Johnny Unitas, who owned the house from 1971 to 1987. "That's what women come to see," Carolyn Stadfeld, design chair for the Baltimore Symphony Associates, which produces the annual fundraiser, said. And they come in droves, more than 8,000 people, unstymied by age or infirmity. Some people come in wheelchairs and walkers with their daughters and granddaughters to help them through, Stadfeld said.