Sandymount

Ruby Tuesday Inc. filed a site plan yesterday for a restaurant on one of two parcels beside the Target store that opened last month on Route 140 in Westminster.Thomas B. Beyard, Westminster's director of planning and public works, said approval of the proposal should not be difficult because the site provides internal access for vehicles and has the necessary zoning.Another national restaurant chain, Red Lobster, is "99 percent" through the approval process for its location on Route 140 near the Elks Club on Gorsuch Road, he said.

The Carroll County Board of Education honored 49 school employees at its meeting Wednesday who are retiring this year.The employee retiring with the longest tenure this year is Jean E. Bowers, a teacher at Charles Carroll Elementary School, with 35.5 years.This year's retirees include Nancy and Kenneth Parker, who have taught for 29 years at South Carroll High School. Nancy Parker was chosen last fall as teacher of the year by her fellow English teachers around the state. Kenneth Parker was a longtime football coach.

Sandymount Recreation Council is offering programs from late winter to spring.Call the numbers listed for class times, dates, locations and other details.* Tumbling, ages 3 to 7: The cost is $25 for 10 weeks. Registration is continuous. Information: 857-5071.* The Art of Rubber-stamping: for adults, a five-week class Thursday to March 21. The cost is $52. Information: 857-5071.* Hupkwondo Martial Arts: Ten-week sessions for children and adults are offered twice a week. Information: 526-2464.

FireDeep Run: Units from Pleasant Valley, Manchester and Pleasant Hill, Pa., responded to a chimney fire in the 400 block of Bankard Road at 1:54 p.m. Tuesday. Units were out an hour and 10 minutes.Sandymount: Reese and Westminster firefighters responded to a house fire in the 2600 block of Sandymount Road at 11:22 a.m. Tuesday. Units were out an hour and 14 minutes.Westminster: Westminster units responded to a call about wires down in the 800 block of Littlestown Pike at 8:56 a.m. Tuesday.

PoliceWestminster: An employee of Staley's Body Shop on Greenwood Avenue reported to police Dec. 22 that someone cut the chain to his storage area and stole a 1995 Pontiac Grand Am. The car, valued at about $12,000, belonged to a resident of Campus Court.FireSandymount: Reese and Westminster firefighters responded to a house fire in the 2500 block of Sandymount Road at 10:50 a.m. Friday. Units were out for 28 minutes.Westminster: Westminster and Reese firefighters responded to a chimney fire in the 100 block of South Ralph St. at 6:11 p.m. Thursday.

POLICE* Westminster: A resident of West Green Street told city police someone broke a window in her van while it was parked near her house Monday. The damage was estimated at $139.A resident of East Main Street reported to city police that someone stole a 26-inch girl's bicycle from the rear of the house Saturday. The 10-speed bike was valued at $100.FIRE* Sandymount: Reese responded to a brush fire in the 2400 block of Carzil Drive at 5:13 p.m. Monday. Units were out one hour.* Westminster: Westminster, Reese, Pleasant Valley and Manchester were dispatched to investigate a fire alarm sounding in an apartment building in the first block of Wimert Avenue at 4:57 p.m. Tuesday.

It's always nice to acknowledge young people for their educational efforts, especially academic endeavors that go above and beyond the normal school day and nightly regimen of required studies.Here's an example of seven students from Sandymount Elementary School who recently participated in the regional Odyssey of the Mind competition in Hagerstown.Odyssey of the Mind competitions are sponsored by the OM Association Inc., a nonprofit national organization. Competitions challenge student teams to work together and develop self-confidence by creating solutions and evaluating ideas that lead to a decision.

Basketball* High school division boys -- Matt Mathias scored 23 points to lead the Rockets past the Celtics, 50-36, in the Sandymount League. Mathias has scored 46 points in his past two games.The Rockets (8-0) extended their first-place lead to four games and are the only team with a winning record. Jim Stull had 12 points for the Celtics (3-5), who have lost five of their past six.Ben Berchock's 23 points led the Spurs past the Bulls, 66-51. The Bulls (4-4) dropped into a three-way tie for second place with the Lakers and Spurs.

Brigid Howes took Irish step dancing lessons when she was 7 years old, in her native County Mayo, Ireland. Sixty years later, she sits in the cafeteria at Sandymount Elementary School on Saturday afternoons, watching her granddaughter learn Irish step dancing.The dances have changed a bit in the past half century, Mrs. Howes said. For example, the hop has a higher kick. But the basic steps remain the same and she is able to help 5-year-old Sarah "Sadie" Howes practice. "Are you going to teach me tonight what you learned?"