Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist

Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist
Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Md Troopers Assoc #20 & Westminster Md Fire Dept Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist
Showing posts with label Newspapers Westminster Advocate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Newspapers Westminster Advocate. Show all posts

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Dayhoff uses computer screen as easel by Lyndi McNulty



Kevin Dayhoff greeted me with a quick smile and a familiar “How’s your behavior?” as he peered from behind his computer screen as I entered the Off Track Art gallery at 11 Liberty St. in downtown Westminster last week for an interview.

He was a collage artist at work. However, it was not the traditional cluttered scene of an artist’s studio. There was no easel, piles of images and collage materials, an array of glues or even a palette plate of paint daubs sitting on top of boxes of art supplies. His canvas was his computer screen, and he was trying to get an image to paste properly into a collage.

The gallery is wonderful display of the work of 14 other artists. They all belong in an artists’ cooperative, Off Track Art, situated alongside the railroad tracks in the center of town at Main and Liberty streets.

Dayhoff is a lifelong Carroll County artist. A native of Westminster, he has had a wide range of experience and interests. He has been a landscaper, artist, writer and even the local town mayor.

He inherited his art talent from his parents. His father was an artist-painter-cabinetmaker. His mother is a culinary artist. In 1958, his interest in art surfaced when he was only five years old. People took a special interest in his drawing. His mother encouraged him draw a pirate when he was 5 and entered it into a drawing contest.

All through Carroll County Public Schools, Dayhoff drew, created collages, and wrote short stories. He was the boy sports editor for the Westminster High School yearbook and collaged many of the photographs in the 1971 yearbook – the year he graduated. In addition, Dayhoff studied photography in the 1960s in 4-H. Later, as a landscape designer, he took photographs of the properties and expanded that into his artwork.

When asked about what it was like to grow up an artist in Carroll County, Dayhoff has nothing but praise.

“There is no better place to be an artist than Carroll County. I have rarely met disapproval, only encouragement,” he said.

Read the rest of Ms. McNulty’s article here: Dayhoff uses computer screen as easel by Lyndi McNulty

20091116 Dayhoff uses computer screen as easel by Lyndi McNulty

Art McNulty Eye for Art Advocate, Art Off Track Art, Dayhoff Art, Dayhoff bio and disclosures, Dayhoff Daily Photoblog, Dayhoff Off Track Art, Dayhoff photos, Newspapers Westminster Advocate

Dayhoff uses computer screen as easel by Lyndi McNulty http://tinyurl.com/ygpfy7r #art #writing

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2009/11/dayhoff-uses-computer-screen-as-easel.html http://tinyurl.com/ygpfy7r

*****

Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://www.kevindayhoffart.com/ Kevin Dayhoff Westminster: http://www.westgov.net/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff Twitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/

Friday, May 23, 2008

20080514 Eye for Art: Young photographer has high hopes for artistic future by Lyndi McNulty


Eye for Art: Kasey Keefer - Young photographer has high hopes for artistic future by Lyndi McNulty in The Advocate

May 14, 2008

http://westminsteradvocate.com

14.MAY.08 Eye for Art: Young photographer has high hopes for artistic future

http://westminsteradvocate.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=1&twindow=Default&mad=No&sdetail=3514&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1322&hn=westminsteradvocate&he=.com

Kasey Keefer has grown up on the outskirts of the City of Westminster. He is a creative 17 year old who will soon become an Eagle Scout on May 28. Keefer is also a talented photographer.

“My Dad, Andy, has always been the family photographer for all five children for school, sports, and scouts,” Keefer remembered. “He has been an amateur photographer as long as I can remember. Anytime there is a family event, he is there taking his ‘15’ shots so that he can get the right one. He believes that someone will blink,” Keefer laughed. “Dad puts up with all the derisive comments on the length of time all this takes because he knows that everyone will love the photographs when they are finished.”

“I picked up some of his skills by being around him. One Christmas, my parents bought me a digital camera to take on my scout trips since I go so many places. After using for a while, I realized that I enjoyed taking photographs and that is when I got serious about it,” he said.

“One of the times I really started to play around with the camera and explore with it was when I went to The Bahamas High Adventure Seabase with the Boy Scouts,” Keefer said. “We met with the captain of a tall sailing ship who taught us how to sail.”

“For 10 days the Captain and 10 Boy Scouts sailed the ship around the Abaco Islands doing everything from swabbing the deck to raising sails. Sunsets, water, and native plants made great subjects. One evening the boat was keeled a little bit, and the flag was illuminated by the sunset. I had fun playing with that as a photographer.”

“After that, I started to shoot and learn more and more. I would read photo magazines, study other photographers’ work, and examine my own to figure out what I did or didn’t like about it, and what would make it better.”

“Last summer I went to Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico with 12 Boy Scouts. I saved up and got a more capable camera for that trip. We backpacked through the Sangre de Cristo Mountains for ten days. It was just amazing. I was looking forward to that trip as a way to really take some good photos. The last day of the trip, we got up at 3:30 a.m. to climb to the top of Schaeffer’s Peak; we watched the sunrise as if it were a movie. Everyone was standing there, looking in the same direction, just waiting silently. I moved around and shot a series of photographs so I could stitch them into panoramas on the computer. That means I took the photographs, lined them up side by side on the computer screen, and made them into one long photo,” he said.

“Anything and everything is a possibility for a photo for me. Every time there is a sunset or an ice storm I would grab my camera and go outside and take photos. I would spend hours just shooting and learning. Now I take my camera everywhere with me. I do macro photography which means that you get really close to an object such as a flower or a leaf.”

“Currently, I want to keep shooting and learning about photography,” Keefer said. “I want to do a photo show and I have just started selling my work.”


You can contact Keefer at Klunkymunky@comcast.net.

— Lyndi McNulty is owner of Gizmos Art in Westminster.

Monday, March 05, 2007

20070221 Common Council hopefuls family rooted in politics by Ashley Reams for the Westminster Advocate


Black History Month: Common Council hopeful’s family rooted in politics

JEFFERY DIXON

Common Council hopefuls family rooted in politics by Ashley Reams for the Westminster Advocate

Ashley Reams 21.FEB.07

Jeffery Dixon lost when ran for a seat on the Westminster Common Council in 2005, but he’s hoping for an opposite outcome in this year’s election.

Although Dixon has not yet filed, he said he plans to run for city council again in May, and he said he’ll count on his community involvement and the relationships he’s built with local residents since his first campaign to get him in office.

“I’ve had the last two years to engross myself in the city and really understand how it works,” he said.

Dixon, 32, and his wife, Heather, both grew up in Westminster and moved back to the city from Silver Spring in 2003. They wanted to start a family, Dixon said, and they thought Westminster was the perfect place.

He began attending city council meetings to get a better feel for the community, he said. He also became a member of the Charles Street Improvement Association, a group dedicated to addressing issues in their community.

[…]

He has also become a member of the Boys and Girls Club Advisory Council and will soon begin spending time with kids in the Westminster unit. He said he might also begin teaching a monthly science class there.

Dixon is a defense systems analyst at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, where he is leading a multi-million-dollar project.

If elected, Dixon would be the first black council member, according to Kevin Dayhoff, local historian and former Westminster mayor.

Politics run in Dixon’s family. Dixon’s uncle, Richard Dixon, was Carroll County’s first black delegate. He served from 1983-96.

[…]

Dixon graduated from Westminster High School in 1992 and the U.S. Naval Academy in 1996.

After serving on two ships, Dixon entered the Navy Reserve in 2001.

Read the entire article here: Common Council hopefuls family rooted in politics by Ashley Reams for the Westminster Advocate

20070221 Common Council hopefuls family rooted in politics by Ashley Reams for the Westminster Advocate

Thursday, February 15, 2007

20070207 Eye for Art Ruchlewicz an avid photographer by Lyndi McNulty in The Advocate


Eye for Art: Ruchlewicz an avid photographer

by Lyndi McNulty in The Advocate

February 7, 2007

http://westminsteradvocate.com/

http://westminsteradvocate.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=75&twindow=Default&mad=No&sdetail=1783&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1322&hn=westminsteradvocate&he=.com

07.FEB.07 Eye for Art: Ruchlewicz an avid photographer

Stan Ruchlewicz is the administrator of Economic Development for the City of Westminster, and he has an artistic side, too. Ruchlewicz is an avid photographer.

He said his first love is teaching and judging high school marching bands and drum and bugle corps.

Through traveling as a judge, he said he visited many interesting places.

“So, I took pictures,” Ruchlewicz said. “Back in the dark ages, I was using a small Instamatic. Eventually, I grew out of the Instamatic into a 35mm camera.”

In 1989, Ruchlewicz was hired in Havre de Grace as director of Planning. He was also appointed to the governor’s Save the Lighthouse Commission.

“Then, I really needed to get a good camera to take pictures since we toured the various Chesapeake Bay lighthouses on our annual visits,” he said,

Also at that time, Ruchlewicz began to take photographs of downtown buildings, streetscapes and events for promotional and reference materials for his job, he said.

Later, his financee, Pat Miller, converted him to go digital.

“Now, I can take hundreds of photographs at a time and not worry about printing costs since I can view the shots on the computer and choose to print only the best,” he said.

Ruchlewicz and his fiancee both take photos.

“I do the large scale photos, such as buildings, landscapes and event crowds, while she enjoys doing architectural details, like gargoyles and grotesques and individual people,” he said. “Grotesques are the funny little guys that are on old buildings but don’t put out rainwater like gargoyles do.”

Today, Ruchlewicz is still shooting buildings and street scenes along Main Streets, events in downtown Westminster, lighthouses and his world travels.

“A lot of the photos I take are of streetscape features such as signage, trash cans, benches, streetlights, window displays, storefronts and building facades,” Ruchlewicz said. “I use them as examples of how to improve local buildings and to give local store owners new ideas on how to improve their businesses.”

Casey Willson, retail industry manager for the Maryland Small Business Development Center, uses some of Ruchlewicz’s pictures for his presentations to small business owners around the state.

Ruchlewicz’s work is everywhere in town.

The postcards of downtown Westminster, such as the view of Main Street from the roof of the old fire house, the downtown mural, the McDaniel College entrance, City Hall and the train passing in front of Johannson’s are all his work.

The postcards are all copyrighted by the City of Westminster under the Downtown Westminster Main Street Program.

Ruchlewicz’s photographs also appear in the new Westminster brochure, and recent Hickory Stick and ArtWorks billboards used his photographs, too.

Additionally, his photos from the Corbit’s Charge event can be viewed on the Pipe Creek Civil War Round Table Web site at http://www.pccwrt.addr.com.

“The most utilized image of mine is of the old clock tower in Westminster that is currently the symbol of our town. It is being used as a brand for people to remember us when they visit,” Ruchlewicz said.

Ruchlewicz’s newest project is converting his photographs into digital art.

“For example, I take photos of England and convert them into images that resemble old etchings and engravings from the 19th century,” he said. “Besides creating art, it also helps me learn how to use some of my new computer features.”

In the future, Ruchlewicz said he would like to put his photographs in an art show and perhaps sell some commercially.

And his travels continue.

“I plan to go to Budapest in the spring to continue my photographic adventures and to bring some new ideas back to Westminster’s downtown,” he said.

— Lyndi McNulty owns Gizmos Art in Westminster.

Art – Eye for Art by Lyndi McNulty in The Advocate

Wednesday, September 21, 2005

20050921 Carroll Airport outlook good

Carroll Airport outlook good

Westminster Advocate: http://westminsteradvocate.com/


Historical Perspective: Carroll Airport outlook good

Wednesday, September 21, 2005

(586 words)

One board of commissioners after another, since the 1940s, has helped bring the Carroll County Regional Airport to the first-class facility that we know today, worthy of being named Maryland “Airport of the Year.”

The journey has been hard and not without controversy.

In the early 1970s, I would tag along to breakfast at Baugher’s with community leaders such as Bobby Warner, Scott Bair Jr., Jim Erb and Tom Senseney Sr. The airport was the often the center of contentious debate.

The Democratic Advocate reported on July 15, 1971, private developers wanted to take it over, and Commissioner John D. Meyer would have nothing of the idea. In September 1971, Meyer went on WTTR and said the county intended to develop its own land for an airport. On November 29, 1971, the Advocate said developers offered the commissioners $150,065 for the airport.

In a controversial decision, the commissioners said no.

Meyer announced: “I feel the county needs an airport for the proper economic development of the county … Nothing we do benefits everyone, and there are those that will disagree. But I feel aviation is just like TV; it’s here to stay. I feel it’s very important to the future growth of the county.”

The county forged ahead, and by the late 1970s, a 2,290-foot runway was constructed. In the mid-1980s, a 20-year master plan was adopted. The runway was extended to 5,100-foot runway by 1994.

Vivian Laxton and Gary Horst helped me bring the airport story up to date. I also interviewed some pilots. Horst has done an excellent job shepherding the airport to profitability and excellence in the last number of years.

In one of my favorite stories about Horst, on April 9, 1997, Max Bair, Horst and I flew out of the airport to do a site visit on a solid waste bioconversion facility in Tennessee. We flew down in a very small plane, sort of like being strapped to a surf-board with two lawn mowers attached for propulsion …

Today, the 5,100-foot runway is the sixth largest non-military runway in Maryland and handles about 100,000 flights a year. The airport has struggled financially in the past, but any initiative of this significance will have its setbacks. The airport is operated from its own enterprise fund, not through the county’s general fund, and a profit is projected for the 2006 fiscal year from nearly $2 million in gross revenues.

What is to be applauded is the perseverance on the part of the commissioners to plow ahead. Forget about any past mis-steps, real or imagined, and let’s concentrate on the lessons learned, the achievements and the future.

For Carroll to continue to attract economic development in today’s extremely competitive landscape, it is imperative that we capitalize on niche assets in place. The airport is a huge draw for new tax base and high-paying jobs.

I am looking forward to the completion of the airport’s Technical Advisory Committee’s new master plan. Carroll will greatly benefit from more corporate hangars, replacing the 20 by 80 foot retrofitted tin construction shed that currently serves as its terminal and extending the runway to 6,500 feet.

This committee, comprised of Martin Pittenger, Donald Vetter, Douglas Pollard, Brian Stites, Bonnie Jones, Jeffrey Smith, Edward Goldman, Peter Welles, Kevin Utz, Wray Mowbray, David Taylor and Tina Thomas, has worked hard for all us, and we owe them a big “thank you.”

The airport is critical to our economic future, and we must move forward, with all due, well-planned and thoughtful speed.

Cross posted.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster.

E-mail him at kdayhoff(at) carr.org

Thursday, August 18, 2005

20050817 Dedication of the Westminster Airport in 1943


1943 Dedication of Westminster Airport

Westminster Advocate

August 17th, 2005 by Kevin Dayhoff (528 words)

On June 22, 2005, The Carroll County Regional Airport (CCRA) was honored as the Maryland Airport of the Year by the Maryland Aviation Administration.

The airport, renamed as the CCRA in 1979 on Route 97 near Westminster has a long history. The airport supported military airlifts during the Korean and Vietnam War and still supports the Air National Guard and Maryland Civil Air Patrol.

Although I have failed to find any published accounts, folklore has it that barnstormers were using the cow pasture, that was located at what we now know as the CCRA, as early as the 1920s. In those days a pilot or flock of pilots would fly over a small rural town, attract attention and then land in a nearby farm field, sell tickets and perform stunts with their newfangled flying machines.

There are also no accounts available as to how the cows felt about this activity. Although I can only imagine, they may have a made a mess out of the fields at seeing “extra large flies with propellers” landing in the grass nearby.

Sometimes barnstormers came by invitation. The June 25, 1920, Union Bridge Pilot, reports “Captain Otto Swoboda, in charge of the US Army Recruiting office, has… arranged to send two aeroplanes for our Fourth of July celebration…”

According to the June 11, 1943 issue of the Westminster Democratic Advocate,Westminster's new airport was dedicated with a two-day event beginning” at 3:15 PM on Saturday, June 5, 1943, by Westminster Mayor Joseph L. Matthias. 600 folks and 50 aeroplanes attended. “Several rode horseback, some came on bicycles and many walked…” Scott S. Bair, Sr., and Carroll Crawford organized the dedication. In 1943, the airport was about 50 acres.

“The station was in charge of Miss Anne Reifsnider, assisted by Mrs. Belle Fringer…” (Mrs. Fringer was my first grade teacher at East End Elementary School at the corner of Green and Center Streets.)

“The Carroll County Canteen committee… Miss Adeline Hoffman and Mrs. Milson Raver…served the luncheon…sandwiches, baked beans, radishes, carrots, ice cream and coffee.”

Mayor Mathias…said, "Today we have assembled for [the] purpose of officially dedicating a new airport, a project which will play an important part in the service of our community, state and Nation. In this time of war, when everything must be done to advance the important science of aviation, Westminster is proud to have a part in this great development…This event is a milestone in the history of this community. May it greatly promote the War effort, and when the war is won may this airport be a valuable asset to the commercial life of a better tomorrow."

In 1946, Pan-Maryland Airways, Inc. selected Westminster Airport as one of its stops in a service authorized by the Public Service Commission to “operate scheduled flights between Baltimore, Annapolis, Easton, Cambridge, Crisfield, Chestertown, Westminster, Frederick, College Park, Havre de Grace, Bel Air, Elkton, Centreville and Brandywine.” Democratic Advocate, September 6, 1946.

The airport has been an integral part of Carroll County’s economic development strategy ever since. Today, the CCRA has a 5100-foot runway and handles about 100,000 flights a year. In my next column, we’ll pick the story up here.

Cross posted

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster. E-mail him at: kdayhoff(at)carr.org

###

Thursday, July 14, 2005

20050713 Today’s Youth – They are Fantastic

Today’s Youth – They are Fantastic

Westminster Advocate

July 13th, 2005 by Kevin Dayhoff (528 words)

Four stills and a quantity of corn whisky were seized by police officers Tuesday morning at a local church. Deacon Willie Brown was arrested. Brown admitted in court that he had been tempted by the devil. Now that I have your attention, I should mention that the “Church of the Holy Moonshiners” incident occurred in 1921. In the July 8th, 1921 Union Bridge Pilot article I read, no mention was made as to how popular services were at the church...

However, this column is not going to be about history. It is about our future. Today’s column is about one of my favorite soapbox topics - today’s kids. I think they are fantastic.

Over the years, I have been very fortunate to have many great opportunities to spend time with young folks in our community; whether it is attending a Carroll County Children’s Chorus event, visiting or reading in schools, 4-H activities, Scouts or just spending time with my nieces and nephews.

Whether they are still in school, or in college, just joining the workforce or serving in uniform, today’s youth are an inspiration for us all. Today’s youngest generation is doing great things and I, for one, really appreciate it and want to thank them. And not just when I need them to teach me how to program my cell phone.

According to the United Nations Statistics Division, 21 per cent of the US population is under 15 years old. Thirty-four per cent of our population is over 60. That 21% is sure going to have to work hard to take care of that 34%. Might be a good plan to spend some time with them now. I don’t know about you, but with the way food is currently packaged, when I grow older, I’ll need some help with the circular saw and hammer necessary to break into my food.

Over and over, I am greatly impressed by the number of adult volunteers and teachers and youth leaders who give of themselves tirelessly, to give our youngest generation a leg up on the many challenges they will face.

Moreover, speaking of volunteering, perhaps we should all take note of the example today’s fantastic youth are setting for us. According to “Youth Service America”, youth volunteering is up 12% over the last 10 years. 73% of America's 60 million young people believe they can make a difference in their communities. Teenagers volunteer 2.4 billion hours annually. Teenage service is worth $34.3 billion to the US economy. Youth who volunteer just one hour a week are 50% less likely to abuse drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, or engage in destructive behavior. Youth who volunteer are more likely to do well in school, graduate, vote, and be philanthropic.

There are so many great organizations in our community that are making a difference and enabling our children to make a difference. Please find one for which you can donate your time or your money. Moreover, take time to thank a teacher, a choir director, a Scout leader or a volunteer today. They aren’t doing it for the money. They are making a huge investment in our future for which we are all benefiting.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster. E-mail him at: kdayhoff AT carr DOT org
####

Labels: Art Writing Essays and articles


Thursday, August 26, 2004

20040825 WA History of Belle Grove Square in Westminster

Pictured above is the B. F. Shriver Company plant on Liberty Street, Westminster, Maryland, at what is now known as the “Stone Building” around 1885. The Stone Building is now the home of O’Lordans Irish Pub. This photo is from page 89 of “The Building of Westminster,” by Christopher Weeks, produced for the City of Westminster in 1978. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 78-74177. I cannot find an ISBN number – but to the best of my knowledge the book is out of print, however, copies on CD can be purchased from the City of Westminster. (updated March 7th, 2007 KED)


History of Belle Grove Square in Westminster


The 111th Annual Community Demonstration in Belle Grove Square


Westminster Advocate


August 25th, 2004 by Kevin Dayhoff, Westminster Mayor (528 words)


This Sunday, Westminster will hold its 111th annual community demonstration in Belle Grove Square. A tradition that began in 1893. It all began during the years following the Civil War when civic minded public improvements and amenities, such as gas lights, water systems, paved roads and concrete sidewalks were important public issues discussed in Westminster.


The coming of the railroad to Westminster in 1861 and the National Banking Act of 1864, accelerated Westminster's process of residential and commercial annexation and mercantile expansion, a process as old as the city itself. Westminster’s first annexation occurred in 1788, just 24 years after the City’s founding in 1764.


In the 1870s, Westminster annexed a residential development by George W. Matthews, which included the area around Belle Grove Square. (Mr. Matthews was part owner of the Wagner and Matthew's Foundry and Machine Shops, where “The Stone Building” is on Liberty Street.) In a tradition and practice carried on to this day; as part of the residential development, Mr. Matthews donated Belle Grove Square (named after his daughter - Carrie Belle) to be a community green space on May 8th, 1877.


Belle Grove Square was one of the first known deeded green spaces in the City. Belle Grove Square was restored by the GFWC Woman's Club of Westminster in 1976. The Club’s demonstrated civic minded generosity continues as it tends to the gardens to this day. In an interesting twist of historic fate, George W. Matthews’ son, George E. Matthews was the Mayor 60 years later in 1937, when the Westminster Playground was dedicated – the same year Carrie Belle died. (Mayor Matthews was elected in 1926 and died in office in 1938. He was also concurrently the Chief of Police.)


One such civic minded project, in 1893, was the fountain for Belle Grove Square. The cost of the fountain was $398.37. Just as with many other successful community improvements in Westminster, it was entirely paid for with contributions from the private sector, much of which was raised by having a festival. The festival raised $252.64 for the Belle Grove Square Fountain. Compare that to Westminster’s present day Fallfest, which began in 1978, and last year attracted over 40,000 visitors and raised over $25,000 for local charities. Fallfest will be held this year on September 23rd through the 26th, 2004. Civic-minded generosity and public demonstrations of coming together as a community have long been a part of Westminster.

The festival that raised money for the fountain in Belle Grove Square was held in 1893, which is also the year to which the Westminster Municipal Band traces its origins. That tradition of coming together in a public demonstration of celebrating community at Belle Grove Square has continued every year for 111 years. Other examples of local celebrations are the Flower and Jazz Festival in May; Celebrate Local Heroes in August, organized by Lori Graham in Dutterer Park (another example of civic minded generosity by another venerable family in Westminster – the Dutterer family) and Fallfest. Won’t you come out and join us for a great demonstration of community on Sunday evening, August 29th, 2004 and enjoy the annual Westminster Municipal Band concert in Belle Grove Square.