The Westminster Vol. Fire Dept. was honored to have Del. Haven Shoemaker to take the time out of his busy schedule to visit the July monthly meeting and present the department with a new Maryland state flag. From left to right: past dept. president Bob Cumberland, Del. Shoemaker, and current president Jim Bangerd. Thank you Del. Shoemaker. July 6, 2016
Lonely is the runner who ran the Wakefield Valley Trail slowly yesterday July 6, 2016
After attending services at the Grace Lutheran Church contemporary service at 9 am, our Estonian guests visited the traditional sanctuary just before the 10:30 am service. Sunday, July 3, 2016 DA CE #estonia
After singing the national anthem between services at Grace Lutheran Church, the next stop for our Estonian dancers is a walking tour of Westminster on their way to the Paide Westminster sign located at the railroad tracks and Main Street in the hearty of historic downtown Westminster. Sun. July 3, 2016 DA CE #estonia
For the past week, June 27 – July 5, 2016, Westminster has hosted two groups of Estonian folk dancers, "Südameke" and "Keerutajad" from Westminster's sister city Paide, thanks, in part, to the hard work of CSM Thomas B. Beyard of the Md National Guard, Audrey Cimino and Jaclyn Mathias-Jones of the Community Foundation of Carroll Co., Aime and Jeff Pringle, and Mari Thalman among many others. Not to be overlooked are members of the Maryland National Guard, Sgt. Matthews Akiba, and Spc. Ronald Maddox for great help with logistics
The visitors include 26 young performers and 10 adults for a total of 36. Among the group are friends of mine, Indrek Kivimäe, a former mayor of Paide, and his wife Tiina, who directs the Paide Girls Choir. Both have visited Westminster before. Most notably Indrek visited us in June 2004 and made a presentation at the Md. Municipal League Convention.
In fact Indrek and Tiina helped host my trip to Estonia in Sept. 2004 when I served as the mayor of Westminster and visited Estonia as part of a diplomatic mission for the Md. National Guard and the U.S. State Department.
After attending services at the Grace Lutheran Church contemporary service at 9 am, our Estonian guests visited the traditional sanctuary just before the 10:30 am service. Sunday, July 3, 2016 DA CE #estonia 
Last Wednesday, June 29, 2016, the Estonian dancers and singers performed at the amphitheater at Carroll Community College, 1601 Washington Road, Westminster.
For the past week, June 27 – July 5, 2016, Westminster has hosted two groups of Estonian folk dancers, "Südameke" and "Keerutajad" from Westminster's sister city Paide, thanks, in part, to the hard work of CSM Thomas B. Beyard of the Md National Guard, Audrey Cimino and Jaclyn Mathias-Jones of the Community Foundation of Carroll Co., Aime and Jeff Pringle, and Mari Thalman among many others. Not to be overlooked are members of the Maryland National Guard, Sgt. Matthews Akiba, and Spc. Ronald Maddox for great help with logistic
On Tuesday, June 28, 2016, the visiting Estonian singing and dance group enjoyed a picnic at King's Park in Westminster. DA CE #estonia
Estonian visitors attend orientation meeting at McDaniel College Tuesday, June 28, 2016 with Tom Beyard, Audrey Cimino, Val Westbrook, and me. DA CE #estonia
From June 27 – July 5, 2016, Westminster will host two groups of Estonian folk dancers, "Südameke" and "Keerutajad" from Westminster's sister city Paide, thanks, in part, to the hard work of CSM Thomas B. Beyard of the Md National Guard, Audrey Cimino and Jaclyn Mathias-Jones of the Community Foundation of Carroll Co., Aime and Jeff Pringle, and Mari Thalman among many others. Not to be overlooked are members of the Maryland National Guard, Sgt. Matthews Akiba, and Spc. Ronald Maddox for great help with logistics
Today Grace Church welcomes a visiting troupe of Estonian singers and dancers at the 9 o'clock service. Sun. July 3, 2016
Sat. July 2, 2016 #tdf2016 First day of the Tour de France. Congrats to sprinter Mark Cavendish for winning the first stage Mont Saint Michel to Utah Beach
Sat. July 2, 2016 #tdf2016 First day of the Tour de France. Congrats to sprinter Mark Cavendish for winning the first stage Mont Saint Michel to Utah Beach
Having fun helping friends move. Sat. July 2, 2016.
Gov. Larry Hogan swore in his chief legislative officer, Joe
Getty, to the Court of Appeals at the State House Monday, with a big heaping of
bipartisan praise. Getty brings an unusual range of experience to Maryland's
highest court, having served as a Republican delegate and senator from Carroll
County and chief legislative officer to both Hogan and Gov. Bob Ehrlich, in
addition to his private law practice. He offers "an invaluable and unique
perspective," said Hogan.
