20080402 Westminster Eagle articles by Kevin Dayhoff and Heidi Schroeder on Carroll County Board of Education Jeff Morse’s resignation

20080402 Westminster Eagle articles by Kevin Dayhoff and Heidi Schroeder on Carroll County Board of Education Jeff Morse’s resignation

Westminster Eagle articles by Kevin Dayhoff and Heidi Schroeder on Carroll County Board of Education Jeff Morse’s resignation:

Jeff Morse incident is a lost opportunity by Kevin E. Dayhoff

April 2, 2008

Over the past few weeks it was revealed that Carroll County Board of Education member Jeff Morse used a racial slur while describing a rock formation during a review of construction at the new Manchester Valley High School.

The incident ultimately led to Mr. Morse resigning from his position with ...

[Read full story]

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School board eyes options after Morse resignation By Heidi Schroeder Friday, April 04

The chair of the Carroll County Human Relations Commission said this week that while Board of Education member Jeffrey Morse's recent use of a racial slur was "stupid" and "insensitive," she was sorry that the incident ended with his resignation on March 26.

"It was a stupid thing to do, it was an... [Read full story]

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Jeff Morse incident is a lost opportunity by Kevin E. Dayhoff

April 2, 2008

Over the past few weeks it was revealed that Carroll County Board of Education member Jeff Morse used a racial slur while describing a rock formation during a review of construction at the new Manchester Valley High School.

The incident ultimately led to Mr. Morse resigning from his position with the school board last week.

The events have brought up a fair amount of talk about the history of race relations in Carroll County.

One of the topics in subsequent community discussion has been the persistent rumor of Ku Klux Klan activity in Carroll County -- an urban legend which is not supported by history.

Some confusion regarding the KKK in our county may stem from a instance in August 1998 in which a KKK rally was held in Carroll County, Virginia -- not here in Maryland. A Klan member was subsequently prosecuted for burning a cross.

The case went all the way to the Supreme Court, Virginia v. Black, where the decision was overturned. The white defendant's attorney, by the way, was David P. Baugh, an African-American.

This brings to mind Supreme Court Justice Hugo Lafayette Black, whose enduring legacy is his steadfast advocacy for equal rights.

Justice Black figured prominently in three landmark cases involving civil rights issues: Chambers v. Florida, 1940; Gideon v. Wainwright, 1963; and Betts v. Brady, a 1942 case which involved the right to legal counsel (that case did originate in Carroll County).

Justice Black had been nominated to the Supreme Court in 1937. His confirmation was difficult after allegations surfaced that he was a former Ku Klux Klan member (a fact which Justice Black admitted in a famous speech in October 1937 after he was confirmed).

The work of civil rights in our nation would have suffered a serious setback if Justice Black had been denied a seat on the Supreme Court.

One advantage we have in living in Carroll is that it is still small enough to hold our leadership to high standards.

So it was that after Mr. Morse offended and hurt our friends and neighbors with his remark that the community demanded that he be held accountable.

Mr. Morse made a terrible mistake, for which he apologized and then put action to words. He resigned last Wednesday, but the following evening he attended a Carroll County NAACP meeting with Superintendent Dr. Charles Ecker and school board President Cynthia Foley.

Mr. Morse's remark comes at a time when folks are beginning to realize that while we may not have "KKK running around," we just may have very polite prejudice -- and we need to talk about it.

Yet, many folks are reluctant to talk about race for fear of making a mistake and being branded a racist. After all, "No good deed goes unpunished" is the motto of many community activists in Carroll County.

Nevertheless, the Carroll County NAACP is working hard to facilitate meaningful conversation about racial relations in Carroll County.

Please do not confuse the local NAACP chapter with the national NAACP's Baltimore chapter, which seemingly finds racists hiding in every difficult moment.

When the national and Baltimore chapters wanted to brand Carroll County racist as a result of the Bowling Brook incident, it was the Carroll chapter who stood up for our county.

And so it was true that the Carroll County NAACP chapter did NOT call for Mr. Morse's resignation -- and for good reasons.

Nelson Mandela said it best. To not forgive is the same as us taking poison ... and then waiting for our enemies to die.

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that," observed Martin Luther King Jr. "Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. ... (T)oughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction."

By many accounts Mr. Morse is not a racist. He has just received a crash course in sensitivity and, if he had remained on the board, all indications were that Mr. Morse would have taken the lessons learned and put them to work for all of us.

Now, we will never know.

In light of Mr. Morse's resignation it is hard to find a win-win in this difficult series of events. One thing that we have learned is that the Carroll County NAACP is part of the solution.

Hopefully, we can also learn that good folks make mistakes. And if we bestow such dire consequences to good folks, what are we going to do when we are faced with a real racist in our community?

I'm just asking.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster. E-mail him at kdayhoff@carr.org.

####

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School board eyes options after Morse resignation

04/02/08 By Heidi Schroeder

The chair of the Carroll County Human Relations Commission said this week that while Board of Education member Jeffrey Morse's recent use of a racial slur was "stupid" and "insensitive," she was sorry that the incident ended with his resignation on March 26.

"It was a stupid thing to do, it was an insensitive thing to do, he should never have said it," said Virginia Harrison, chair of the Human Relations Commission, of the comment, but added, "but I just felt like ... as a community we should have been able to resolve the issue."

Morse submitted his resignation following the school board's March 26 meeting.

The resignation followed an apology to the board last week for making an "inappropriate comment" during a tour of the under-construction Manchester Valley High School. The school board did not reveal what the statement was, but acknowledged that someone on that tour had lodged a complaint, which led to a board review.

In a statement from the school board, officials noted Morse's apology to those on the tour and to citizen groups, including the NAACP and Human Relations Commission, but said that after hearing citizen comments on the issue at the board meeting, Morse determined it was in the best interest of the board to resign.

Carroll County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Charles Ecker said that at the March 26 meeting, six or seven residents requested to speak. After those comments -- of which Ecker said some were in favor of Morse's resignation and some were opposed -- the board met in closed session and accepted Morse's resignation.

Harrison said she was sad that the situation reached that conclusion.

"I was very sorry that he resigned, because I felt that it was something that could have been resolved," Harrison said.

She was among those to whom Morse apologized following the comment, and Harrison said that his willingness to meet with community leaders and discuss his comment was "courageous."

Morse had been selected by Gov. Martin O'Malley from a field of 22 applications to join the board in May 2007 following Thomas Hiltz's resignation.

In the event of a vacancy -- such as Hiltz's -- the governor is responsible for appointing a new representative to the vacant post.

However, given the proximity of the November election -- when voters will elect candidates for Morse's former seat and the seat currently held by board president Cynthia Foley -- Ecker said he plans to propose to Gov. Martin O'Malley that the board operate with four members until the election occurs.

####

NBH

20080402 Westminster Eagle articles by Kevin Dayhoff and Heidi Schroeder on Carroll County Board of Education Jeff Morse’s resignation

20080402 Westminster Eagle articles by Kevin Dayhoff and Heidi Schroeder on Carroll County Board of Education Jeff Morse’s resignation

Westminster Eagle articles by Kevin Dayhoff and Heidi Schroeder on Carroll County Board of Education Jeff Morse’s resignation:

Jeff Morse incident is a lost opportunity by Kevin E. Dayhoff

April 2, 2008

Over the past few weeks it was revealed that Carroll County Board of Education member Jeff Morse used a racial slur while describing a rock formation during a review of construction at the new Manchester Valley High School.

The incident ultimately led to Mr. Morse resigning from his position with ...

[Read full story]

---

School board eyes options after Morse resignation By Heidi Schroeder Friday, April 04

The chair of the Carroll County Human Relations Commission said this week that while Board of Education member Jeffrey Morse's recent use of a racial slur was "stupid" and "insensitive," she was sorry that the incident ended with his resignation on March 26.

"It was a stupid thing to do, it was an... [Read full story]

---

---

Jeff Morse incident is a lost opportunity by Kevin E. Dayhoff

April 2, 2008

Over the past few weeks it was revealed that Carroll County Board of Education member Jeff Morse used a racial slur while describing a rock formation during a review of construction at the new Manchester Valley High School.

The incident ultimately led to Mr. Morse resigning from his position with the school board last week.

The events have brought up a fair amount of talk about the history of race relations in Carroll County.

One of the topics in subsequent community discussion has been the persistent rumor of Ku Klux Klan activity in Carroll County -- an urban legend which is not supported by history.

Some confusion regarding the KKK in our county may stem from a instance in August 1998 in which a KKK rally was held in Carroll County, Virginia -- not here in Maryland. A Klan member was subsequently prosecuted for burning a cross.

The case went all the way to the Supreme Court, Virginia v. Black, where the decision was overturned. The white defendant's attorney, by the way, was David P. Baugh, an African-American.

This brings to mind Supreme Court Justice Hugo Lafayette Black, whose enduring legacy is his steadfast advocacy for equal rights.

Justice Black figured prominently in three landmark cases involving civil rights issues: Chambers v. Florida, 1940; Gideon v. Wainwright, 1963; and Betts v. Brady, a 1942 case which involved the right to legal counsel (that case did originate in Carroll County).

Justice Black had been nominated to the Supreme Court in 1937. His confirmation was difficult after allegations surfaced that he was a former Ku Klux Klan member (a fact which Justice Black admitted in a famous speech in October 1937 after he was confirmed).

The work of civil rights in our nation would have suffered a serious setback if Justice Black had been denied a seat on the Supreme Court.

One advantage we have in living in Carroll is that it is still small enough to hold our leadership to high standards.

So it was that after Mr. Morse offended and hurt our friends and neighbors with his remark that the community demanded that he be held accountable.

Mr. Morse made a terrible mistake, for which he apologized and then put action to words. He resigned last Wednesday, but the following evening he attended a Carroll County NAACP meeting with Superintendent Dr. Charles Ecker and school board President Cynthia Foley.

Mr. Morse's remark comes at a time when folks are beginning to realize that while we may not have "KKK running around," we just may have very polite prejudice -- and we need to talk about it.

Yet, many folks are reluctant to talk about race for fear of making a mistake and being branded a racist. After all, "No good deed goes unpunished" is the motto of many community activists in Carroll County.

Nevertheless, the Carroll County NAACP is working hard to facilitate meaningful conversation about racial relations in Carroll County.

Please do not confuse the local NAACP chapter with the national NAACP's Baltimore chapter, which seemingly finds racists hiding in every difficult moment.

When the national and Baltimore chapters wanted to brand Carroll County racist as a result of the Bowling Brook incident, it was the Carroll chapter who stood up for our county.

And so it was true that the Carroll County NAACP chapter did NOT call for Mr. Morse's resignation -- and for good reasons.

Nelson Mandela said it best. To not forgive is the same as us taking poison ... and then waiting for our enemies to die.

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that," observed Martin Luther King Jr. "Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. ... (T)oughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction."

By many accounts Mr. Morse is not a racist. He has just received a crash course in sensitivity and, if he had remained on the board, all indications were that Mr. Morse would have taken the lessons learned and put them to work for all of us.

Now, we will never know.

In light of Mr. Morse's resignation it is hard to find a win-win in this difficult series of events. One thing that we have learned is that the Carroll County NAACP is part of the solution.

Hopefully, we can also learn that good folks make mistakes. And if we bestow such dire consequences to good folks, what are we going to do when we are faced with a real racist in our community?

I'm just asking.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster. E-mail him at kdayhoff@carr.org.

####

---

---

School board eyes options after Morse resignation

04/02/08 By Heidi Schroeder

The chair of the Carroll County Human Relations Commission said this week that while Board of Education member Jeffrey Morse's recent use of a racial slur was "stupid" and "insensitive," she was sorry that the incident ended with his resignation on March 26.

"It was a stupid thing to do, it was an insensitive thing to do, he should never have said it," said Virginia Harrison, chair of the Human Relations Commission, of the comment, but added, "but I just felt like ... as a community we should have been able to resolve the issue."

Morse submitted his resignation following the school board's March 26 meeting.

The resignation followed an apology to the board last week for making an "inappropriate comment" during a tour of the under-construction Manchester Valley High School. The school board did not reveal what the statement was, but acknowledged that someone on that tour had lodged a complaint, which led to a board review.

In a statement from the school board, officials noted Morse's apology to those on the tour and to citizen groups, including the NAACP and Human Relations Commission, but said that after hearing citizen comments on the issue at the board meeting, Morse determined it was in the best interest of the board to resign.

Carroll County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Charles Ecker said that at the March 26 meeting, six or seven residents requested to speak. After those comments -- of which Ecker said some were in favor of Morse's resignation and some were opposed -- the board met in closed session and accepted Morse's resignation.

Harrison said she was sad that the situation reached that conclusion.

"I was very sorry that he resigned, because I felt that it was something that could have been resolved," Harrison said.

She was among those to whom Morse apologized following the comment, and Harrison said that his willingness to meet with community leaders and discuss his comment was "courageous."

Morse had been selected by Gov. Martin O'Malley from a field of 22 applications to join the board in May 2007 following Thomas Hiltz's resignation.

In the event of a vacancy -- such as Hiltz's -- the governor is responsible for appointing a new representative to the vacant post.

However, given the proximity of the November election -- when voters will elect candidates for Morse's former seat and the seat currently held by board president Cynthia Foley -- Ecker said he plans to propose to Gov. Martin O'Malley that the board operate with four members until the election occurs.

####

NBH

20080326 Too Little, Too Late - Media Discover Mercury in Fluorescent Bulbs by the Business and Media Institute

Too Little, Too Late - Media Discover Mercury in Fluorescent Bulbs by the Business and Media Institute

Each CFL contains about 5 milligrams of mercury. That’s enough for state environmental agencies to recommend complicated and expensive cleanups for accidental bulb breaks in homes.

Related:

20070913 Light Bulb Efficiency Standards

Too Little, Too Late - Media Discover Mercury in Fluorescent Bulbs

Journalists' beloved 'eco-friendly' lights now considered more dangerous than originally thought, after government mandate required their use.

By Nathan Burchfiel

Business & Media Institute

3/26/2008

What is it about government mandates that curse innovation to failure?

Ethanol turned out to be more environmentally harmful than the fossil fuels it was replacing via federal mandate. Now scientists understand the “green” compact fluorescent light bulbs to be dangerous because they contain mercury.

While scientists couldn’t agree on just how beneficial compact fluorescent light bulbs were, journalists on network news shows had widely agreed that CFLs are a good thing.

“They last 10 times longer and they’re really great for the environment,” Kris Connell of Real Simple Magazine said on “The Early Show” March 10.

Each of the three broadcast networks has featured the bulbs and promoted them as energy-efficient, environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional incandescent bulbs. Journalists and others who support the bulbs touted their benefits but rarely focused on the potential risks.

NBC’s “Today” show featured the bulbs on its “Today Goes Green” series Jan. 23, 2008, as one way average Americans can adjust their lives to be more “environmentally friendly.”

“If every American home replaced just one incandescent bulb with a CFL, in one year it would save enough energy to light more than three million American homes and prevent greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of more than 800,000 cars,” co-host Meredith Vieira said.

“Replace just one of your standard light bulbs with one of those curly compact fluorescent lamps,” Diane Sawyer suggested on ABC’s “Good Morning America” April 20. “If every household in the U.S. replaced just one standard bulb with a CFL tomorrow … it would be like taking 2 million cars off the road.”

The Sept. 28, 2007, CBS “Early Show” even said “going green,” including switching from traditional incandescent bulbs to CFLs, was “good for your health, it’s good for your pocketbook, and it’s good for the environment.”

The print media joined in. USA Today called them the “wave of the future” in March 2007. The Los Angeles Times said in April 2007 the bulbs “would be good for the environment and consumers’ pocketbooks.”

With this help from the media, proponents of the bulbs convinced Congress to ban incandescent light bulbs in the energy bill President Bush signed into law in Dec. 19, 2007. The bill increases efficiency standards and effectively bans traditional bulbs by 2014, a timetable considered a victory by supporters like Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif., who was the first to introduce legislation that would ban the bulbs.

But what the media ignored or downplayed in the run-up to the ban was that CFLs contain mercury, a highly toxic metal infamous for its presence in thermometers. In the last two years, network news shows mentioned the CFL-mercury link only seven times. Four of the reports came after the incandescent ban had already been signed into law.

Each CFL contains about 5 milligrams of mercury. That’s enough for state environmental agencies to recommend complicated and expensive cleanups for accidental bulb breaks in homes.

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection recommended a woman contact a hazardous waste cleanup company when a CFL broke on her child’s bedroom carpet, sending the mercury level to more than six times the “safe” limit. The crew estimated the cleanup would cost $2,000.

The Maine DEP no longer recommends such an expensive cleanup process, but now suggests a 14-point cleanup plan.

The 5 milligrams of mercury are also enough to contaminate 6,000 gallons of water beyond safe drinking levels, according to a March 19 MSNBC.com article that “extrapolated from Stanford University research on mercury.”

Read the entire article: Too Little, Too Late - Media Discover Mercury in Fluorescent Bulbs

20070418 April 18, 2007 Westminster Road Runners Club Westminster, Maryland Main Street Mile.

April 18, 2007 Westminster Road Runners Club Westminster, Maryland Main Street Mile.

By Kevin Dayhoff April 19, 2007 www.kevindayhoff.net

Posted March 23, 2008

I had all but finished the video below, about the April 18^th, 2007 Main Street Mile, some time ago… In the video please notice the quintessential Dave Herlocker moving the race finishers along at the finish line…

Other posts which mention Dr. David Herlocker may be found here: Westminster Road Runners Club or westminster road runners club

His obituary can be found here: 19401030 20080321 David Webb Herlocker

20070418 Westminster Maryland Main Street Mile

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16U48TUjSB8

Video Storyboard:

Dave Herlocker and Caroline Babylon keep the finish line moving at the annual Westminster, Maryland Main Street Mile on April 18, 2007. That’s Dave on the left in the blue pants, yellow shirt and green sleeves.

Carroll County Times photographer, Kyle Nosal, runs to get a photo…

Carrie Ann Knauer, Carroll County Times Staff Writer, covering the event…

Her article: “Road runners” appeared in the Thursday, April 19, 2007 edition of the Carroll County Times…

Westminster Police officer Tony Ott (gray shirt - center) kept everything moving smoothly throughout the event…

Kenny Carlisle (L) and Tony Ott

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

www.kevindayhoff.net http://www.youtube.com/kevindayhoff http://www.livejournal.com/

E-mail him at: kdayhoff AT carr.org or kevindayhoff AT gmail.com

His columns and articles appear in The Tentacle - www.thetentacle.com; Westminster Eagle Opinion; www.thewestminstereagle.com, Winchester Report and The Sunday Carroll Eagle – in the Sunday Carroll County section of the Baltimore Sun. Get Westminster Eagle RSS Feed

“When I stop working the rest of the day is posthumous. I'm only really alive when I'm writing.” Tennessee Williams

_____

Other posts which mention Dr. David Herlocker may be found here: For other posts on running or the Westminster Road Runners Club please click on: Sports Running or Westminster Road Runners Club or Westminster Sidewalks and Trails or westminster road runners club or westminster sidewalks and trails. or westminster annual main street mile or sports running or dave herlocker. The Westminster Road Runners Club web site is here: http://www.carr.org/%7Ewrrc/

19401030 20080321 David Webb Herlocker

David W. Herlocker, 67, of Westminster

October 30, 1940 – March 21, 2008

As we prepare for this year’s Westminster Road Runners Club Main Street Mile, word spread quickly through the community that one of the patriarchs of the annual event - and the Westminster Road Runners Club, Dr. David Herlocker passed away last Friday, March 21, 2008.

This year’s race will run on Wednesday, April 16^th, 2008 and the race will hardly be the same without him.

Dave Herlocker was a well-respected scientist, McDaniel College professor, runner, community leader, fellow member of Grace Lutheran Church and a good friend… and his passing leaves us sad beyond words.

Please join us as we keep Dave’s many friends and family in our hearts and prayers…

_____

David Webb Herlocker, 67, of Westminster, died unexpectedly but peacefully at his home on Friday, March 21, 2008.

Born October 30, 1940 in Chicago, Illinois, he is the son of Donald Herlocker and the late Betty Comfort Herlocker. He was raised in Peoria, Illinois.

He was a 1962 graduate of Knox College and graduated from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana in 1966 with a doctorate in inorganic chemistry.

In 1966, he began a long career teaching chemistry at Western Maryland College, now McDaniel College. He served as the Chemistry Department chair department chair for many years. He retired in 2006 and was named an emeritus faculty member. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, the American Chemical Society, and other professional organizations.

He began running in the mid 1970s and was a member of the Westminster and York Road Runner Clubs. He was an organizer of many road races in and around Westminster, including the Main Street Mile. After an accident in 1995 left him unable to run, he continued to walk daily with friends. He was a recognizable figure at many races with his loyal canine companion, Badie.

He was a long-time member of Grace Lutheran Church and served on the church council and scholarship committee. He was active in Ardent Folk, a ministry providing meals to those in need.

He was a member of the parent organizing committee which founded the Westminster Montessori School in 1974. He helped to develop and implement the school’s chemistry curriculum. Since his retirement he has volunteered weekly in their science classes.

An avid sports fan, he followed the Chicago Cubs, Chicago Bears, and the McDaniel women’s basketball and volleyball teams. He was a 27-year member of a book club and a lover of history and trivia.

Remembering him are children and partners Caryn Herlocker Meade and Adam Meade of Raleigh, NC and Daniel Herlocker and Ellen Keelan of Brattleboro, VT; father Donald Herlocker of Canton, IL; brother and sister-in-law William and Hilda Herlocker of Kildeer, IL; sister and brother-in-law Linda and Peter Speck of Wanganui New Zealand; grandchildren Evan and Georgia Meade; former wife and friend Helen Herlocker; and numerous friends.

A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. on Tuesday, March 25 at Grace Lutheran Church, 21 Carroll St, Westminster with his pastors Rev. Kevin and Martha Clementson officiating.

Inurnment of ashes will be in Grace Lutheran Church Columbarium.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Grace Lutheran Church in support of the Ardent Folk social ministry.

Online condolences may be made to the family at www.fletcherfuneralhome.net.

*****

Other posts which mention Dr. David Herlocker may be found here: ... For other posts on running or the Westminster Road Runners Club please click on: Sports Running or Westminster Road Runners Club or Westminster Sidewalks and Trails or westminster road runners club or westminster sidewalks and trails. or westminster annual main street mile or sports running or dave herlocker. The Westminster Road Runners Club web site is here: http://www.carr.org/%7Ewrrc/

20080316 The Carroll Sunday Eagle: Palm Sunday 1942 was a time of high snow and higher anxiety by Kevin Dayhoff

Last Sunday’s, March 16^th, 2008 Sunday Carroll Eagle column was:

Palm Sunday 1942 was a time of high snow and higher anxiety

03/16/08 by Kevin Dayhoff EAGLE ARCHIVE (806 words)

http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?pnpID=978&NewsID=885695&CategoryID=19662&show=localnews&om=1

Email this story to a friend

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.

(I think they had wooden jelly beans back then.)

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 Carroll County history, as folks were greeted by 22 inches of snow on March 29, 1942.

It also included an important "first," as noted in a newspaper article: "Our municipal authorities, for the first time, saw fit to clear the greater portion of Main Street, and some of the important cross streets.

"Whatever the cost, we would say it certainly was an important step. ... The work was done by Thomas, Bennett and Hunter, road contractors, using their large road graders. The removal was rapid and proved to be a most successful method."

That Sunday, just months after America entered World War II, was a time a great anxiety.

One newspaper editorial explained: "1942 will enter in the midst of the (most) destructive war the world has ever known. The picture is a dark one, filled with doubts, uncertainties, a year that will test the mettle of our citizens, our men in service, but there is no doubt that all will stand the test and unite in the defense of our country, our flag and our president."

During that Palm Sunday of 1942, peace on Earth was, unfortunately, not in the minds of all. One fear on the minds of local folks was, "What to do in the event of an air raid?"

At the end of 1941, the "Air Raid Warden for Carroll County," W. Warfield Babylon, published a full newspaper page with detailed instructions as to what to do if the enemy were to launch an air raid on Carroll County.

It was a different time and a different era.

How many of us can remember the "Civil Defense Shelters" scattered through the county? How many had air raid shelters in the basement of their homes?

The air raid instructions began with advice that, alas, could be useful even today:

"Above all, keep cool.

Don't lose your head.

Do not crowd the streets, avoid chaos, prevent disorder and havoc.

You can fool the enemy.

If planes come over, stay where you are.

Don't phone unnecessarily.

The chance you will be hit is small."

Of course, the anxieties of the 1940s have been replaced by the anxieties of 2008, including rapidly increasing prices for essentials, taxes and concerns about the economy.

Yet one challenge Carroll did not have in 1942 was debt. An historical reference to a Jan. 2, 1942 article in The Sun touted that the Board of County Commissioners "paid off $25,000 to make Carroll County debt-free.

"Carroll County was probably the only county in Maryland in 1942 that could claim such a distinction. With a tax rate of 90 cents on $100, Carroll had the lowest tax in the state with the exception of Queen Anne's County. Two-thirds of tax money collected from county residents went to fund schools."

***

Today, Palm Sunday is here and many of us can't wait for spring.

Christians celebrate today as "Passion Sunday" -- the day that Jesus entered Jerusalem to a path covered with palm branches. The crowds that greeted him also waved palm branches. (One can read all about it in Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44; and John 12:12-19.)

Palm Sunday can appear anywhere on the calendar from March 15 to April 18. If you're like me, you wonder why the dates vary from year to year.

It's because Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the "Paschal Full Moon." To make it even more a mystery, the Paschal Full Moon is not an astronomical event, but a date calculated by folks with a huge Excel spreadsheet in 325 AD.

Really.

Of course, I don't bother remembering when Palm Sunday and Easter occur on the calendar -- I just ask my wife. Women have mysterious powers that allow them to know these things.

Hope springs eternal

Heading back to 1942 again, Bob Hope hosted the 14th Academy Awards at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles. Best picture was, "How Green Was My Valley."

OK, movie buffs, for this week's Sunday Carroll Eagle coffee mug, what was the other famous movie from 1941, often heralded as perhaps the best film ever made -- yet it did not win the Academy Award for best picture? Here's a hint: In the spirit of spring, think of the word, "Rosebud."

Think you know? Send me an e-mail at kdayhoff@carr.org and we'll draw one winner from the magic hat.

Heck, I'll even fill the mug with jelly beans. (Not the wooden kind.)

When he's not dreaming of spring, Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster. E-mail him at kdayhoff AT carr.org.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

www.kevindayhoff.net http://www.youtube.com/kevindayhoff http://www.livejournal.com/

E-mail him at: kdayhoff AT carr.org or kevindayhoff AT gmail.com

His columns and articles appear in The Tentacle - www.thetentacle.com; Westminster Eagle Opinion; www.thewestminstereagle.com, Winchester Report and The Sunday Carroll Eagle – in the Sunday Carroll County section of the Baltimore Sun. Get Westminster Eagle RSS Feed

“When I stop working the rest of the day is posthumous. I'm only really alive when I'm writing.” Tennessee Williams

NBH

*****

The Sunday Carroll Eagle: October 28, 2007 - On October 28^th, 2007 the publication for which I write, The Westminster Eagle and The Eldersburg Eagle, (which is published by Patuxent Newspapers and owned by Baltimore Sun); took over the Carroll County section of the Baltimore Sun.

“The Sunday Carroll Eagle ” is inserted into the newspaper for distribution in Carroll County. For more information, please contact:

Mr. Jim Joyner, Editor, The Westminster Eagle

121 East Main Street

Westminster, MD 21157

(410) 386-0334 ext. 5004

Jjoyner AT Patuxent DOT com

For more posts on “Soundtrack” click on: Sunday Carroll Eagle

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/search/label/Sunday%20Carroll%20Eagle

20071028 The Sunday Carroll Eagle introduction

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2007/10/20071028-sunday-carroll-eagle.html

Also see: Monday, October 22, 2007: 20071021 Baltimore Sun: “To our readers”

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2007/10/20071021-baltimore-sun-to-our-readers.html

20080318 In Carroll County - I’d rather watch it all happen on TV

In Carroll County - I’d rather watch it all happen on TV

March 18, 2008

Recently there has been a push to televise all local government meetings in Carroll County.

And then - last week the story broke that (now former) New York governor Eliot “Mr. Clean” Spitzer, otherwise known as “love client no. 9,” had violated his marriage vows and broken a number of laws by taking “acting lessons” with an “aspiring-singer.”

There is a relationship between the two events and issues. Bear with me and I’ll attempt to make my point…

Governor Spitzer mercifully resigned on March 12 and ended a sensational 48 hours of salacious melodrama of position, power, greed, and human failings.

The ironies abound in this tragedy.

In his previous job as attorney general of New York, he had gained a reputation as a ruthless boar in his relentless crusade against wrongdoing on the part of Wall Street.

To further his own political ambitions, he made it great sport to ruin the reputations of Wall Street executives.

He often used the very same laws that in the end brought about his own demise.

However, anecdotal accounts indicate his unpleasant approaches were not centered on bad folks. He was, by many accounts, an equal opportunity misanthrope, often treating foes and colleagues with equal disdain.

Once he took over the governor’s office he quickly proceeded in going back on as many of his campaign promises as possible and fought with everyone – on both sides of the political aisle.

He raised taxes, added to the state’s payroll, and increased spending by 7 percent. In the paradox of contemporary taxation policy, the more New York raised taxes, the larger the state deficit grew. New York residents and businesses fled the state in astronomical numbers - and as he leaves office, he leaves behind a huge budget deficit and $2 billion in tax proposals.

One of the many golden rules of life is always treat people well when you’re on your way up because you never know when you’re coming down.

In the end, as Governor Spitzer faced a life-altering crisis, he was completely alone with no friends.

I often wonder about this “human” aspect of community leadership when I attend – or watch public hearings on the local Carroll County public access Channel 24 and witness the incivility and hypocrisy.

Locally a leadership void continues to persist. And one wonders why.

Many folks feel disenfranchised and alienated because there are too many “Spitzers” in office, locally, in Annapolis, and nationally, who aren’t doing their job and aren’t honest with us.

Then again, in today’s political environment, why would anyone want to leave the comfort of their families – their jobs, to take on leadership positions in the community where personal attacks and character assassination is a blood sport for those who may disagree with certain decisions?

And astonishingly those who are the most unpleasant are the ones who want others to respect their point of view and have an opportunity to be heard.

Recently there has been a push to televise all local government meetings in Carroll County.

A position I whole-heartedly support because personally attending these meetings is so incredibly unpleasant; why would anyone want to go?

They’re hard enough to watch on television, but at least when we watch them on TV, we can change the channel – or leave the room.

In recent memory I have had a number of folks tell me that they never gave much thought to this or that pressing issue of the day. But after having seen and heard the folks who are against it - - they’re for it.

A case in point is the fella who asked for my position on the airport… I shared with him that both sides have good points – that ought to be heard…

That in the end, the commissioners need to decide what is going to be best the greatest majority of Carroll Countians… That the commissioners are obviously not going to make everyone happy with this issue. There is no silver bullet or win-win.

He told me that he never thought much about expanding the airport until he saw the folks who are against it in action and now he wholeheartedly supports expanding the airport. Hmmm.

And recently in Carroll County; in an interesting twist, some of the folks who have been privately (and publicly) the most unpleasant are now publically claiming they are being bullied and pleading for civility.

I’d rather watch it all happen on TV.

####

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

www.kevindayhoff.net http://www.youtube.com/kevindayhoff http://www.livejournal.com/

E-mail him at: kdayhoff AT carr.org or kevindayhoff AT gmail.com

His columns and articles appear in The Tentacle - www.thetentacle.com; Westminster Eagle Opinion; www.thewestminstereagle.com, Winchester Report and The Sunday Carroll Eagle – in the Sunday Carroll County section of the Baltimore Sun. Get Westminster Eagle RSS Feed

“When I stop working the rest of the day is posthumous. I'm only really alive when I'm writing.” Tennessee Williams

NBH

20080318 In Carroll County - I’d rather watch it all happen on TV

20080318 Frederick News Post Tourism Council opposes incinerator by Karen Gardner

Frederick County Tourism Council opposes incinerator by Karen Gardner

Originally published March 18, 2008

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display_comments.htm?StoryID=72590#postComments

By Karen Gardner News-Post Staff

The Tourism Council of Frederick County echoed Monocacy National Battlefield's concerns that the county's proposed waste-to-energy plant, also known as an incinerator, will detract from the historic nature of the battlefield.

The proposed plant would be across the Monocacy River from the park boundary. Last week, the Civil War Preservation Trust said the plant's smokestack would loom over the battlefield.

[…]

Read the entire article here: Frederick County Tourism Council opposes incinerator by Karen Gardner

For more information on Waste Management and Waste to Energy issues please click on: Environmentalism Solid Waste Management; Environmentalism Solid Waste Management Waste to Energy; or… Energy Independence or Environmentalism Solid Waste Management Recycling or the label, Environmentalism.