Taneytown

A two-car garage and machine shop was destroyed by a fire that erupted shortly after 9 a.m. Friday on a farm in the 1800 block of Trevanion Road near Taneytown.The blaze spewed heavy black smoke several hundred feet that could be seen 12 miles east in Westminster, and brought firefighters from Taneytown, Harney, Union Bridge and New Windsor.The firefighters were unable to save the contents of the large, concrete block structure.Heat from the fire melted the vinyl siding off the end of a house 20 feet from the garage.

A plan to open a branch of the Carroll County Health Department hereis scheduled to be resubmitted to the county planning commission next month when that panel begins mulling capital improvement projects for fiscal 1993."

Taneytown officials will meet with Land Design Research International Inc. next week to discuss the urban planning company's ideas for revitalizing the Taneytown square area at Baltimore Street and Route 194.The city hired Columbia-based LDR International to do the revitalization study and create a strategy for rejuvenating what the city will call its Town Centre.LDR International is supposed to define sites for development, renovation, off-street parking, signs, overhead utilities and road widths.

* The Roadrunners Club Twilight Series goes to Taneytown for the Sells Mills 8-Mile Run on Thursday, July 30. Larry Pickett and Jenny Caple lead the series in the men's and women's divisions.Two more races are scheduled for the Twilight series as Paul Hannsen and Maggie Leffler won the Piney 10K run. Thursday's race begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Taneytown Baptist Church on Sells Mill Road. For more information call Sharon Schaeffer, 857-5154.* The Babe Ruth State Tournament will begin at Grove Field in Frederick on Thursday at 5 p.m. with the Carroll 16-year-olds team playing against either Prince George's County No. 1 or No. 2 team.

If Taneytown's officials don't want to be known as "dweebs" among the city's small community of skateboarders, they should be able to find a place where these boys and girls can do their 180-degree "switchfoot heel flips," "nose slides" and "nose grinds."Taneytown's government seems to have a particular dislike for skateboarding. The sport was banned from the city for several years, but that absolute prohibition has since been rescinded. The current ordinance forbids skateboarders from streets and sidewalks.

A plan designed to guide Taneytown's growth during the next 20 years is on the books. But a county commissioner fears the city's comprehensive plan contains a flaw that could turn Taneytown into "another Hampstead."City officials, who have worked on the plan for 2 1/2 years, said the rapid residential development feared by Commissioner Donald I. Dell is highly unlikely. They said they intend to control the pace of growth.In Hampstead, a building boom in the 1980s and early 1990s left the town without adequate water, sewer, roads and schools to accommodate residential development.

A 36-year-old Taneytown man, in jail on charges he sexually molested a neighbor who had passed out at his house last month, was indicted by a Carroll grand jury late Tuesday.In a four-count indictment, Michael Stephen Campbell was charged with second-degree rape, battery and third- and fourth-degree sexual offenses.The charges are identical to the counts filed against him Nov. 22 in Carroll District Court. The indictment moves the case to Carroll Circuit Court.Mr. Campbell is alleged to have sexually assaulted a 28-year-old neighbor who had passed out from drinking alcohol Nov. 19, court records say. The woman told police that when she awoke, she noticed that her pants were on the floor.

RESIDENTS and businesses throughout northwest Carroll County decked their premises in recent weeks for the holiday season.One of the nicest displays in Taneytown was the one of candy canes and ribbons by Rick and Robin Watson, who live at 141 W. Baltimore St., near Memorial Park.Their design took top overall honors in the residential division of the Door/Housefront Decorating Contest.The Taneytown Heritage Committee donated prizes for the residential winners, while the Taneytown Chamber of Commerce donated the business prizes.

Carroll County Pregnancy Center will sponsor a Run for Life fund-raiser Sunday in Taneytown. Registration will begin at 11:45 a.m., with a 5-kilometer run starting at 1 p.m. A half-mile fun run for the elderly, young or short-distance runners will be available. The run will start and end at Baltimore and York streets. Entry fee is $10 per runner or $20 for a family. Medals will be awarded to the top finishers in three age groups. Certificates and other prizes will be awarded to all runners.

The 9-week-old Taneytown girl was injured yesterday when the car driven by her father struck a utility pole on Black's Schoolhouse Road.Elizabeth Rhoten was taken to Hanover General Hospital after the crash.Hospital officials last night said her injuries did not appear to be serious, and she was expected to be released after treatment.Her father, Dennis Rhoten, 30, of the first block of E. Baltimore St., told Taneytown police Sgt. Greg Woelfel that his car left the road when a sheep wandered into its path as he drove along Black's Schoolhouse Road near Stone Road about 5:30 p.m.He said Elizabeth was in a car seat in the back of his Chevette.