20071003 Kathryn Leiter watch

20071003 Kathryn Leiter watch

Kathryn Leiter watch

October 3^rd, 2007

Recently folks around town have taken notice of one of the several talented writers for the Carroll County Times - Kathryn Leiter.

I’d post her web site picture, but when I had a chance to talk with her at a community function some time ago, she told me she hates the picture…

I just checked the web site and the same photo she hates is still up on the site…

If I am not mistaken, I was told that she is a former copy editor. Which may explain why her pieces are written so tightly? As opposed to that of an old short story writer such as myself, who all too often goes rambling-on in this and that direction. (There’s a reason I write columns – and only a few articles…)

And – as an added bonus, she is from the area - Catonsville, so she knows the lay of the land and has some insight into our community traditions – and history…

I’m not quite sure when she first started writing articles, but recently many appreciated her articles on disaster preparedness, local governments’ web sites becoming more customer-friendly, the Monarch butterflies, or the non-profits – a subject near and dear to the hearts of many Carroll Countians.

And who can forget the great piece on the vaccination clinic at the Ag Center:

“It’s raining cats and dogs and ferrets. The Carroll County Agriculture Center’s riding barn was filled with hundreds of cats, dogs and ferrets, as owners took advantage of the Anti-Rabies Vaccination Clinic Sunday….”

But her recent “Sunday package” published in the Sunday, September 30^th, 2007 edition of the paper, on our youngest generation beginning to assume leadership roles in the community, really caught the attention of the community.

Ultimately, if one is not academically schooled in the matter of “community leadership succession”; even the most unsophisticated in our community understands that our youth are the folks who will need to take over the reins one day.

If not for any other reason than the fact that at some point, us older folks want to retire and let someone else take on the responsibilities (read: headaches and opportunities) of maintaining our community as a great place to live – and grow old.

Moreover, there are those of us, this writer in particular, who feel that the current 18 to 30 year-olds have a great deal of promise. See also: 20050713 Today’s Youth – They are Fantastic and 20070601 Out of the mouths of today’s future leaders

Personally I have had the pleasure of working with Manchester town councilmember Ryan Warner for several years and it is about time he got the attention that he deserves. Whether one agrees with him or disagrees with him – and I have done both over the years – he is a perfect gentleman and always has what is in the best interests of the community at heart.

And what else can be said about Dr. Herb Smith, he has now been selflessly tutoring future leaders for several decades and it was nice to see him get the attention he deserves.

So the next time you go to the Carroll County Times web site or pick up a copy of the newspaper at the newsstand, be sure to look for her byline, along with my other favorites these days, Ryan Marshall, Carrie Ann Knauer and Jordan Bartel – to mention a few.

Kathryn Leiter watch

Four under 40

Alexander Hamilton hadn’t even reached 20 when he first showed interest in politics. James Madison and Edmund Randolph joined the political arena in their early 20s. Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth held political office in their early 30s.... Sep. 30, 2007;

Starting young

Many Carroll County council members are retired from their careers, giving them the time to put in to the community. When Ryan Warner was 24, he decided he didn’t want to wait until he retired. Warner was first elected to the Manchester Town Co... Sep. 30, 2007;

Prof: Interest in activism steadily rising

Herb Smith has been a political science professor at McDaniel College in Westminster since 1971 and has been involved in politics since he was 14 years old. Q: What do you think attracts younger people to politics? A: Well, there’s always the a... Sep. 30, 2007;

Hampstead moves to online bill payments

Hampstead residents will be able to save their stamps the next time their water bills arrive as the town becomes the first in the county to allow residents to pay their water bills online. The addition to the town’s Web site launched Tuesday, a... Oct. 1, 2007;

Protection for pets: Owners bring animals to Ag Center for Anti-Rabies Vaccination Clinic

It’s raining cats and dogs and ferrets. The Carroll County Agriculture Center’s riding barn was filled with hundreds of cats, dogs and ferrets, as owners took advantage of the Anti-Rabies Vaccination Clinic Sunday. “It’s a g... Oct. 1, 2007;

Learning lessons in lemon lore

When life handed them lemons, even the Victorians made lemonade. At the Carroll County Farm Museum’s final Learning Lunch for the year, food historian Pat Reber gave a group of 17 the history on the summertime drink. The British or European ver.. Oct. 2, 2007;

Fallfest-ivities: Part of food sales go toward selected groups

The carnival rides don’t open until Thursday, but Westminster Fall-fest starts today with a fundraising event. Festivities officially begin with Dine Out Westminster, an event where 10 percent of all food sales benefit four Fallfest groups: Car... Sep. 25, 2007;

Ready to take flight: Youths prepare butterflies for migration at Monarch Madness

Jennifer Jaco delicately handles a monarch butterfly, placing it on the tip of a child’s nose. As the butterfly flutters away, children cheer and parents take pictures. However, this isn’t your average butterfly. This butterfly has a smal...
Sep. 24, 2007;

Goodwill, Salvation Army preparing for busy season

As fall approaches, residents will delve into their wardrobes and don warmer clothes. With the switch from shorts to jeans, residents are cleaning out their closets and donating more to area charity organizations, according to Wayne Hatcher, director...Sep. 20, 2007;

Carroll News Briefs for Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2007

Public input sought for emergency plans The public will soon get an opportunity to weigh in on county plans to prevent and manage disasters. A public hearing on a revised Emergency Operations Plan and new Hazard Mitigation Plan is expected to be sche... Sep. 26, 2007; scored 249.0

Labels: Kathryn Leiter watch; Art Writing Essays and articles, Carroll County Times

20071003 This week in The Tentacle

This week in The Tentacle

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

It all began with President Harry Truman

Kevin E. Dayhoff

Sixty years ago, on October 5, 1947, an American president delivered a speech live on television.

History reflects that the speech delivered by President Harry S Truman was hardly memorable. According to an article on the event in "American Heritage," by Christine Gibson, "the October 5 broadcast did have a large effect on the free world, just not in a way Truman, or anyone at the time, could have predicted."

Today, most people take for granted a world dominated by cell phones, instant messaging, computers, and cable TV. News and entertainment travels around the world in minutes, if not seconds; but in 1947 much of the news was disseminated by way of the radio or newspapers.

Ever since, television has played an integral role in politics, especially presidential politics. By around 1960, more people got their news from television broadcasts than newspapers - or the radio.

It has only been as recent as the 2000 presidential election that television's stranglehold on maintaining the dominant narrative which shapes much of public opinion on national politics has been slowly but surely replaced by the Internet.

In a parallel dynamic, television and the Internet - and newspapers - are slowly but surely merging. However it was President Truman's 1947 speech which set the political landscape on its head.

Read the rest: It all began with President Harry Truman

---

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Opposing Views, Good Policy

Farrell Keough

A funny thing happened on the way to the Editorial Store. I got replies to my inquiries and did not have to make a purchase. No really, there is an Editorial Store! But they are expensive and have terrible business hours.

---

Monday, October 1, 2007

Singapore

Tom McLaughlin

The place is like walking into a hospital. It is soooooooo clean. There is a hefty fine for depositing a piece of paper or cigarette remains. One cannot buy chewing gum. Drug runners receive the mandatory death sentence.

---

Friday, September 28, 2007

Thoreau & Winchester Hall

Norman M. Covert

One of the perquisites of being hors de combat for many months is preoccupation with what ails you. Henry David Thoreau would have penned his musings in solitude - not an option here. Somehow the recovery room's Zenith found the Frederick County Board of Commissioners on COMCAST.

Wait Until Next Year

George Wenschhof

The end of September brings a lot of excitement to major league baseball fans for the long (162 game) schedule is coming to an end. Wishful hopes abound that their team will win the division or capture the wild card slot. Their team would then make the play-offs with a chance to win the Fall Classic in Sports, the World Series.

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Thursday, September 27, 2007

No Apology Needed

Chris Cavey

This evening is the "All-American Presidential Forum" at Morgan State University, hosted by Tavis Smiley and broadcast on PBS. Outside of those of us directly involved with this production, and the students at Morgan, the anticipation of the event is like waiting in line for a viewing at a funeral home.

Rearing Its Ugly Head Again

Derek Shackelford

Here we go again with the issue of race surfacing over the last couple of weeks. It is not enough that much attention was given to shock jock Don Imus and his comments about the Rutgers women's basketball team. The outrage that those comments garnered caused Mr. Imus to lose his national morning radio program.

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Wednesday, September 26, 2007

The Priceless Right to Free Speech

Kevin E. Dayhoff

It has certainly been an interesting week for the exercise of our sacred right to freedom of speech in the United States. Various recent developments in this most cherished of rights provided a rich target environment for the news media, constitutional scholars, and pundits alike.

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Peace Be Unto You

Roy Meachum

Our blue-eyed, blonde-hair culture becomes more antagonistic as our numbers decrease as a proportion of the population. There are those among us who hate all those darker-hair, brown-eyes who are popping up everywhere.

Both Sides Now

Farrell Keough

Global Warming, Global Cooling, Climate Change, et al are the headlines of the crisis de jour. Most people do not involve themselves in this debate as it seems too complicated and all the scientists agree, so it must be true.

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Monday, September 24, 2007

Striking the Deal

Richard B. Weldon Jr.

I really wanted to write about the Great Frederick Fair, but Patricia Kelly did such a great job on last Thursday's Tentacle, I wouldn't pretend to try.

####

20071003 Living and loving in the age of asparagus

Living and loving in the age of asparagus

or

Mary Katherine Ham to Alicia Silverstone: Go Hunting

October 3^rd, 2007

Although I have spent a large portion of my life as a vegetarian; as I grew older and life got particularly hectic, I gave it up – for now anyway. Who knows, tomorrow, I may go back. Whatever.

A number of years ago, as I was attempting to reason with an unreasonable person and losing miserably, a colleague said to me:

“You know what your problem is?”

“Ugh.” I really did not need advice at that particular moment; however, I prized his friendship and sheepishly asked: “What?”

“It's a dog eat dog world out there, and you're a vegetarian!"

We solved that by going out to a sub shop where I gave up the anorexic bliss of salads and voraciously scarfed down a cheese-steak sandwich.

It was a road to Damascus experience

I still lose miserably with folks who accept narcissistic fiction as fact, however, I am bigger now and I figure that if I am to be eaten alive, I might as well give folks a flavorful super-sized meal.

Then again, to be candid, I was never good at being a vegetarian. I never stopped eating animal crackers and every once and awhile at Moms, I’d dive into a steak – and I can rarely remember missing turkey at Thanksgiving.

I have a number of colleagues and some family members who are, at the moment, practicing vegetarians - and I respect that choice. Besides, I really like vegetables. Then there are folks who don’t like vegetables or are otherwise broccoli intolerant. To them I say, ya really ought to “give peas a chance.”

A member of my family, who is an avid vegetarian, recently gave some seafood a try.

Bold.

Writing for the Washington Post, Joel Achenbach says:

“Certain kinds of seafood, such as lobster, clams and crabs, are honorary forms of meat, but a small filet of a low-fat white fish should be viewed as essentially a vegetable. Raw oysters are manfood, as is any fish served with the head on and the mouth gaping in horror.

Me, I could live off of Dr. Pepper, coffee and grits. Hey, don’t knock the cooking with Dr. Pepper book. There are some great recipes in there.

I never tried the “vegan” approach. I often wondered how the term came about. When I was quite young I had a great deal of confusion over the term “vegetarian.” If vegetarians eat vegetables, what do humanitarians eat?

Mr. Achenbach calls to our attention a savior for vegans, who every once in awhile, go Jonesing for a milkshake – “soy cows.”

In the column he was initially singing the praises of his new “Fabulator 5000.”

What is a “Fabulator 5000?” I am so glad you asked. I was fascinated about this development since I am still using the Fabulator model No. 1953.

I’ll let Mr. Achenbach ‘splain:

“I love my new food printer, the Fabulator 5000, which makes the previous food printers look not just clunky but positively medieval. There's no more click-and-point nonsense on the screen, no more waiting five or six interminable minutes for the food to print. You just tell the Fab 5 what you want. The food comes out in about three or four seconds, complete with garnish and a complementary wine.”

Oh, the “soy cows?” Apparently Mr. Achenbach recently “took the kids … to Homewood Farm to see a good old-fashioned agricultural enterprise…”

“I got a look at the new soy cows, grazing in the large field just north of the orchard. The USDA apparently felt that soy milk could be produced much more efficiently if it came from cows made of soy. These cows are so green they nearly blend into the landscape. They say the soy milk is a lot better tasting (not as beany, somehow) than the stuff derived from plants, and the soy burgers are more tender. But you've probably read about how the soy cows dry up badly in drought conditions -- they literally wilt -- and even catch fire. Bored teenagers have been blamed for setting some of the cow fires.”

There is much to be appreciated by the vegetarian lifestyle; nevertheless my goal was to not be evangelical about it all.

But – and ya know there was going to be a “but” in here soon – I’ve never been fond of PETA’s Strindbergian gloom and bleakness approach to advocacy.

When I was a practicing vegetarian, invariably, some folks would suggest some linkage to me, a vegetarian, with PETA’s in-your-face humorless lactose intolerant militancy. An approach which often seems more oriented to being obnoxious and annoying instead of being compelling and persuasive to what is otherwise, a perfectly fine lifestyle, vegetarianism, for which PETA routinely does an injustice....

At a local government - social event, a local elected official’s wife was horrified that I was a vegetarian. “How can a big strapping former Marine be a vegetarian,” she gasped.

I solved that in quick order. She was a dog lover and the owner of a huge dog. I mean huge – about the size of a water buffalo.

I asked her if she had ever eaten dog. When I was in the Marines, a South Vietnamese ranger once cooked-up a mess of dog.

It tasted like chicken.

I suggested to my scowling friend that her St. Bernard could feed an entire village… And one wonders why I lost my last election?

Recently Alicia Silverstone did an ad for PETA that has garnered a great deal of attention. I can’t believe that it is winning over any converts to vegetarianism, but it has attracted attention to PETA.

Whether it is really the sort of attention that an advocacy organization wants is a bigger issue for which there is not right or wrong, it just isn’t my cup of tea.

Nevertheless, in age of so much strife and discord, I yearn for a time when peas will rule the planets, and love won’t be such a fuss. I long for the dawn of the age of asparagus.

Enter stage right, Mary Katherine Ham. Ms. Ham has done a spoof on the Ms. Silverstone ad that is a real crack-up.

Please enjoy it:

####

No animals were hurt in the writing of this column.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

www.kevindayhoff.net

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 and Winchester Report.

20070907 Fiscal Year 2008 Howard County Arts Council Grant Awards Announced

Fiscal Year 2008 Howard County Arts Council Grant Awards Announced

It is with all due respect that I venture to row in Howard County’s pond. We certainly have great bloggers in Howard County who cover the territory quite well. Nevertheless, it appears that the arts are alive and well in Howard County.

I have written about the enormous positive economic impact of the arts. The social, cultural, and economic return for every dollar a community spends on the arts is unexpectedly high – and it is a critical economic indicator of a thriving community…

Many years ago I participated in a group show in Howard County under the auspices of the Howard County Arts Council and was quite impressed with the organization…

_____

PRESS RELEASE --- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 10, 2007 – Received Tuesday, October 2, 2007 1:27 PM

Contact: Coleen West

Phone: (410) 313-2787

E-mail: coleen@hocoarts.org

FISCAL YEAR 2008 HOWARD COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL GRANT AWARDS ANNOUNCED

Ellicott City, MD - On Friday, September 7, 2007, Howard County Executive Ken Ulman announced that 38 arts and cultural organizations will receive $361,017.31 in matching grants from the Howard County Arts Council for Fiscal Year 2008. Senator James N. Robey, Joyce Leviton representing Senator Ben Cardin, Howard County Council member ' s Calvin Ball, Jennifer Terrasa, Greg Fox, and Jay Dick of Americans for the Arts supported Mr. Ulman in presenting the awards to grantees.

The awards were announced at the Arts Council's annual meeting and reception on September 7, at the Howard County Center for the Arts. These matching grants will be used by 19 Howard County organizations; 11 Howard County public schools; and 8 key Baltimore City organizations to support general operations, artist residencies, and special projects in the arts. Over 300 HCAC members and friends joined state and local politicians at the grant award ceremony.

Community Arts Development Grants fund day-to-day activities for Howard County arts organizations as well as special projects in the arts; $205,605.65 was awarded to the following 19 organizations for FY2008:

Blossoms of Hope ... The Howard County Cherry Tree Project Project

$339.65

Candlelight Concert Society

Operating

$30,000.00

Chesapeake Shakespeare Company

Project

$3,000.00

Columbia Center for Theatrical Arts

Operating

$23,618.00

Columbia Community Players

Project

$1,800.00

Columbia Concert Band and Jazz Band

Project

$3,000.00

Columbia Festival of the Arts

Operating

$50,465.00

Columbia Orchestra

Operating

$18,800.00

Columbia Pro Cantare

Operating

$24,154.00

Harmony of the Sol

Project

$3,000.00

Howard County Ballet

Project

$340.00

Howard County Poetry and Literature Society Operating $11,515.00 Hua

Sha Chinese Dance Center Project $3,000.00 Kinetics Dance Theatre

Operating $8,775.00 Little Patuxent Review Project $1,800.00 Misako

Ballet Company Project $1,500.00 Rep Stage/HCC Educational Foundation

Operating $14,999.00 Showtime Singers Project $3,000.00 Sundays at

Three Project $2,500.00

The Jim Rouse Theatre (JRT) Subsidy Program assists community arts groups by partially underwriting theatre rental fees; $14,370 was awarded to the following 6 organizations for FY2008:

Columbia Orchestra

$5,478.75

Columbia Pro Cantare

$3,641.25

Howard County Ballet

$1,355.00

Howard County Poetry and Literature Society $827.50 Hua Sha Chinese

Dance Center $750.00 Kinetics Dance Theatre $2,317.50

Artist-in-Education Project Grants are a partnership between the Arts Council and local Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) to place professional artists in residence at Howard County Schools to help students foster creative expression; $17,841.66 in funding was awarded to the following 11 schools for FY2008:

Bollman Bridge Elementary School PTA

$1,133.00

Elkridge Landing Middle School PTA

$2,000.00

Folly Quarter Middle School PTA

$674.00

Guilford Elementary School PTA

$2,025.00

Hammond Elementary School PTA

$1,333.00

Harper ' s Choice Middle School PTA

$1,773.33

Jeffers Hill Elementary School PTA

$1,831.67

Longfellow Elementary School PTA

$725.00

Patapsco Middle School PTA

$1,333.33

Running Brook Elementary School PTA

$2,513.33

Swansfield Elementary School PTA

$2,500.00

Baltimore City Arts and Cultural Grants provide funding to key Baltimore City organizations that provide significant services to Howard County residents; $123,200 was awarded to the following 8 organizations for FY2008:

Baltimore Museum of Art

$27,300.00

Baltimore Museum of Industry

$6,625.00

Center Stage

$16,750.00

Maryland Historical Society

$5,000.00

Maryland Science Center

$10,500.00

Maryland Zoo in Baltimore

$9,250.00

National Aquarium

$25,125.00

The Walters Art Museum

$22,650.00

Howard County Arts Council grants are awarded on the basis of artistic merit, ability of the applicant to carry out the project, and level of service to the community. Grantees are selected through a competitive process in which applications are reviewed by an advisory panel made up of academics and artists representing a variety of disciplines. Grant award recommendations are then reviewed and approved by the Howard County Arts Council Board of Directors.

The Arts Council ' s grant program is supported through grants from the Howard County government and the Maryland State Arts Council as well as through the Howard County Arts Council ' s own foundation, corporate, and individual giving initiatives.

# # #

The Howard County Arts Council is a non-profit organization whose mission is to serve the citizens of Howard County by fostering the arts, artists and arts organizations. The Howard County Arts Council receives major grants from the Howard County Government and the Maryland State Arts Council and sustaining annual support from corporate, foundation and individual sponsors. Howard County Arts Council offices are located at the Howard County Center for the Arts, 8510 High Ridge Road, Ellicott City, MD 21043. The Howard County Center for the Arts is a handicapped accessible facility and full participation of individuals with disabilities is encouraged. For information, call 410.313.ARTS (2787), fax 410.313.2790, or email info@hocoarts.org.

Labels:

Howard County Current Events

Art - Economic Benefits of Art

Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://www.kevindayhoff.com/ (http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/)

Erratum

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City of Clemson, SC, where Chip Boyles, the former Taneytown City Manager works as the Clemson Assistant City Administrator

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Vote on Nov. 7, 2006. If you want an absentee ballot, click here

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Westminster Municipal Band Schedule

Westminster Weather

White House

10 20071001 Erratum

Erratum

Erratum

Autism Speaks

Blog Counter

Blogger Start

Carroll County Maryland's Official Tourism Site's Calendar of Events

Carroll County Republican Candidates And Contact Information

CCPL

City of Clemson, SC, where Chip Boyles, the former Taneytown City Manager works as the Clemson Assistant City Administrator

Google Home Page sign in

iDeal Personal Training

Maryland State Board of Elections

McDaniel College in Westminster, MD USA

Mercantile Bankshares Corp - Google Finance

Mercantile Bankshares Corporation MRBK

Mozilla Firefox 20061024 Mozilla today released Firefox® 2

Mozilla Firefox USE FIREFOX to View this blog

NAACP

National Cancer Institute

National Caner Institute Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Panera Bread

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

PNC

PNC - Google Finance

Sarah Palin for governor of Alaska

Snopes.com - Urban Legends Reference pages

Sudoku Newsweek

Sudoku Web Sudoku

Technorati Ping

UN Israel Permanent Mission of Israel to the UN

UN United States Mission to the United Nations

Vote on Nov. 7, 2006. If you want an absentee ballot, click here

Wacky Uses by Joel Green

WebMD

Westminster Municipal Band Schedule

Westminster Weather

White House

10 20071001 Erratum

20070926 Daily Photoblog

"N. Main St."

Kevin Dayhoff

20070926 Spider No. UB6

Spider No. UB6 - September 26, 2007

Mr. Bruno, can you tell what kind of spider appears in the posted picture above? It was quite a fascinating and industrious creature. Thanks a bunch.

Kevin Dayhoff

(Folks, if you haven’t visited The Voltage Gate recently, you are missing out.)

When Mr. Bruno and I last discussed spiders; he called to my attention on 03/24/2007:

Jeremy Bruno said...

Aha! I have written about spiders on the old blog:

here, here, here, here, here, here; These are all in the series on why spiders aren’t insects…

And here; The last one might not be about a spider, taxonomically speaking, but the Harvestman father is particularly devoted to its offspring. Neat little critter.

Related: "20070321 The secret life of baby spiders"

20070919 Westminster Eagle Sports

Westminster Eagle sports

Recreation Friday, September 21

For the latest in Carroll County Sports coverage, read Steve Jones in the Westminster Eagle

Related on Soundtrack: Sports in Carroll County, Sports in Carroll County Football, Sports in Carroll County Football Westminster High School

Sports Notes

For a cool time, try out for the Finksburg Freeze

The Finksburg Freeze 14-under baseball travel team will host tryouts for the 2008 season on Saturdays, Sept. 22 and 29; and Sundays, Sept. 23 and 30. Tryouts are 9-11 a.m. each day.

Tryouts will be held at Sandymount Elementary on the lower field...

[Read full story]

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High School Football Results & Schedule

09/19/07

Friday, September 14

Century 22, Walkersville 7

Frederick 15, Winters Mill 14

Brunswick 14, Liberty 13

North Carroll 21, Francis Scott Key 14

Westminster 13, South Carroll 12

Thursday, September 20

Century at Frederick (7 p.m.)

Thomas Johnson at FSK (7 p.m.)

Westminster at Liberty (7 p.m.)

Friday, September 21

Smithsburg at Winters Mill (5 p.m.)

South Carroll at North Carroll (5 p.m.)

Carroll County Standings

Overall County

W-L W-L

North Carroll 2-0 1-0

Century 2-0 0-0

Francis Scott Key 1-1 1-1

Westminster 1-1 1-1

South Carroll 1-1 1-1

Winters Mill 1-1 0-0

Liberty 0-2 0-0

Game of the Week

South Carroll at North Carroll

(Friday; 5 p.m.)

The undefeated Panthers will try to go to 3-0 against the Cavaliers, who need a win to stay in the hunt for the county title.

North Carroll owns victories over Joppatowne and Francis Scott Key, while South Carroll lost a 13-12 heartbreaker to Westminster after rolling over Williamsport in its opener.

The Panthers won last year's matchup by a 27-7 score in Winfield, and the current North Carroll team is better than the 2006 edition.

The Cavaliers have also improved, and are expected to compete for a Class 1A playoff berth after going 3-7 last fall.

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Balanced offense leads North Carroll over FSK

Three touchdowns come in frantic 27 seconds

When North Carroll's senior running back Jeremy E. Ritz went down with a broken shinbone in the Panthers' season-opening victory against Joppatowne, head coach Jeff Oeming and his staff turned to two new faces to keep the ground game going.

On Friday n... [Read full story]

See also: 20070912 Westminster Eagle: Carroll County High School Football Results and Schedule

20070907 Francis Scott Key vs Westminster High Game Video Clips

20070912 Westminster Eagle: Eagles top Owls to gain early edge in county

20070907 WHS Owls entrance on to Ruby Field

20070919 Part 1 of Herb Ruby and Ruby Field - Resetting a local gem to mark Ruby Field

20070919 Part 1 of Herb Ruby and Ruby Field - Resetting a local gem to mark Ruby Field

Part 1 of Herb Ruby and Ruby Field - Resetting a local gem to mark Ruby Field

September 20^th, 2007

Friday night football is one of my fondest childhood memories. For entertainment and getting together outside in the fresh air with your family, friends and neighbors there is hardly anything better. As a community builder, sports teams and sporting events are a great democratizer. It’s folks from all walks in life and fellow community members that you wouldn’t meet if it weren’t for sports

It’s hot dogs and French fires, family and good friends and you can get in touch with your feelings and scream to your heart’s content. Call it family primal scream therapy.

Sports for young adults are a great equalizer. If your child is willing to work hard, stay disciplined, have a goal, and stay off of drugs and alcohol, everybody benefits and everyone can learn to understand the positives that come from achieving. It is inspiring to witness these young adults come together, play their hearts out and learn the value of teamwork. See:

20051207 Carroll Public Schools’ Extracurricular Activities teaches values

Friends and family gathered at the rededication of the “Ruby Field” sign at the Westminster High School football field on September 7. From Left to Right Adults: Jim Head, Dr. "Chuck" Ecker, Rani Ruby, Mike Ruby, Mark Ruby, Dr. Sandra Ruby, Heather Ruby, Brad Ruby, Shelley Ruby, Dr. Herbert E. Ruby III, Sally Ruby, Dr. Douglas E. Ruby, Terry Malloy, and John Seaman. From Left to Right - children: Cole Ruby, Max Ruby, Carter Ruby, Blake Ruby, and Anna Ruby. Photo courtesy of Tom Welliver.

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My September 19^th, 2007 Westminster Eagle column is the “rededication” of the “Ruby Field” sign under the scoreboard at the Westminster High School football field right before the Westminster – Francis Scott Key football game on Friday, Sept. 7.

Westminster Eagle: Ruby Field - Resetting a local gem to mark Ruby Field

September 19, 2007 by Kevin Dayhoff

I had the pleasure to attend the “rededication” of the “Ruby Field” sign under the scoreboard at the Westminster High School football field right before the Westminster – Francis Scott Key football game on Friday, Sept. 7.

A gathering of friends and family of the late Coach Herb Ruby were in attendance. In the tradition of Coach Ruby it appears the sign rededication was the result of many folks working together as a team.

It got downright humorous as everyone interviewed gave the credit for the effort to someone else. This is only fitting as Coach Ruby was well known for putting the athletes, the team, and the community above himself and abhorred having attention drawn to him individually.

It wasn’t a big splashy affair. It was small group of folks who gathered to pay their respects. A few stories were traded back and forth – in somewhat hushed tones. A picture was taken and everyone went about their business.

Coach Ruby would’ve approved.

Over the roar of the pre-game excitement from the large crowd, the football team warming-up, the cheerleaders and the band practicing, my conversation with Carroll County Schools Superintendent Dr. Chuck Ecker and (my high school football coach,) Jim Head turned to the sign and the history of “Ruby Field.”

20070907 WHS Owls entrance on to Ruby Field

When the “new” Westminster High School (WHS) opened in the fall of 1971, the sign did not accompany the football field moving from its former location on Longwell Avenue on the grounds of the “old” Westminster High School facility located there from 1936 to 1971.

No one interviewed for this column seems to know why. It just didn’t happen. Besides, many of us in the community called the “new” field at the “new” high school “Ruby Field” anyway. It’s an honor and tribute to a great Carrollinian that remains in our hearts; a community covenant that certainly was not broken for the lack of a physical sign.

Dr. Ecker explained that in the spring of 1964, the Board of Education decided to name the football field at the old WHS, (where I graduated in 1971 and played football from 1968 – 1970,) Samuel M. Jenness field. Mr. Jenness was, at the time, the superintendent of Carroll County schools.

However a movement in the community quickly developed, which was supported by Mr. Jenness that the field ought to be named “Ruby Field.” It was “renamed” Ruby Field in the fall of 1964.

1957 Westminster High graduate Coach Head, former schools superintendent Ed Shilling, a 1958 WHS grad, and 1949 WHS grad Coach Earl Hersh had a series of 4 meetings with Dr. Ecker (WHS class of 1945) in recent months about moving the sign. Dr. Ecker subsequently looked into the minutes and found that the name of the field didn’t specify a particular address, just the Westminster High School…

Dr. Ecker and Coach Head said there “were happy to see it moved… a fitting memorial.” The sign “should’ve been moved when the field moved was moved” years ago, remarked Dr. Ecker.

Later, as I watched the game, a spectator come over and asked, “Who is Ruby?”

I’ll bet many readers are wondering the same thing. Moreover, it is only fitting and appropriate that the question was posed in the present tense. Coach Herb Ruby passed away in April 1990 and yet his legacy is alive in our community now - more than ever.

And this is where we’ll pick up the story of Coach Herb Ruby next week, after the halftime show. For now let’s enjoy the marching band.

Westminster Eagle

For the latest in Carroll County Sports coverage, read Steve Jones in the Westminster Eagle

Related on Soundtrack: Sports in Carroll County, Sports in Carroll County Football, Sports in Carroll County Football Westminster High School

See also:

20070912 Westminster Eagle: Carroll County High School Football Results and Schedule

20070907 Francis Scott Key vs Westminster High Game Video Clips

20070912 Westminster Eagle: Eagles top Owls to gain early edge in county

20070907 WHS Owls entrance on to Ruby Field

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

www.kevindayhoff.net

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 and Winchester Report.

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