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Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist
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Showing posts with label People Pecoraro-Greg. Show all posts
Showing posts with label People Pecoraro-Greg. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

2008 The Tentacle columns by Kevin Dayhoff

2008 The Tentacle columns by Kevin Dayhoff

December 31, 2008
Obsession In Washington
Kevin E. Dayhoff

Obsession, the new fragrance from the elite media for 2009… As we await the dawn of a New Year, we look forward to many questions and challenges. However the subplot for 2009 has got to be how long the obsessive, passionate love affair between the press and President-elect Barack Obama will last.


December 24, 2008
Keeping Christmas
Kevin E. Dayhoff

Tomorrow we celebrate Christmas. The pageantry, art, decorations, traditions, and music of the season – especially the music – have all the ingredients for great family memories.


December 17, 2008
Time flies like an arrow
Kevin E. Dayhoff

As I’ve grown older, the joy of the Christmas season has slowly but surely become overshadowed with pressure and chaos. Certainly not to be overlooked is the emphasis on the materialism and over-consumption that has insidiously eroded the joys of the season.


December 10, 2008
In Your “Koobface”
Kevin E. Dayhoff

Last week I had all the pleasure and honor to be among the 120 million users of the social networking web site “Facebook” who were targeted by a computer virus known by the unusual name of “Koobface.”


December 3, 2008
When cupcakes grow on trees
Kevin E. Dayhoff

It was serendipitous Monday evening, the day that President-elect Barack Obama unveiled his national security team, that I had the opportunity to hear Dr. Melvin A. Goodman, a former CIA analyst, discuss his latest book, The Failure of Intelligence: The Decline and Fall of the CIA, during the ninth annual Resnick Lecture at McDaniel College.


November 26, 2008
“The Eight Years War”
Kevin E. Dayhoff

At high noon on Monday, amid cries of alarm that this is the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, President-elect Barack Obama rolled out his all-star economic team and a call for an economic stimulus package that could cost as much as $1 trillion.


November 19, 2008
Rewarding Bad Behavior
Kevin E. Dayhoff

Instead of tooling down the highway in the fast lane, two months after General Motors celebrated its 100th Birthday on September 16, it found itself huddled over at an intersection with fate, harassing passers-by with a tin pan in hand.


November 12, 2008
The Incredibly Shrinking Republican Party
Kevin E. Dayhoff

The ink is hardly dry on the “historic” election of Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and already those with 20/20 hindsight are dissecting and revising the two-year ordeal, known as the 2008 presidential election, with the conviction of someone who has just seen a flying saucer land in the backyard.


November 5, 2008
It’s the Congress, Stupid!
Kevin E. Dayhoff

When historians look back on the 670-day, $2.5 billion 2008 presidential campaign, the observations, analysis, second-guessing, and finger pointing will fill volumes. In the end, it was once again, “the economy, stupid” that ruled the day.


October 31, 2008
Just Say “NO” to Slots
Kevin E. Dayhoff

There are two constitutional questions on the ballot next Tuesday. I will be voting “NO” on both. Question 2 will amend the state constitution to allow slots. Question 1 would amend the Maryland Constitution to allow early voting in Maryland.


October 29, 2008
Vote “NO” on Early Voting
Kevin E. Dayhoff

On Election Day November 4, there are two statewide questions on the ballot to amend the Maryland constitutional. I will be voting NO on both questions.


October 22, 2008
McCain for America – First
Kevin E. Dayhoff

Election Day is less than two weeks away. On November 4, I will be voting for the Republican Party nominee, Arizona Sen. John McCain and his vice presidential running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.


October 15, 2008
Journalistic Bubble Wrap
Kevin E. Dayhoff

One of the hottest subplots to the 2008 presidential campaign is how would the contest, the polls and the final outcome have looked if the “old – elite” media had not been so biased towards the Democratic Party in general and specifically the Democrat nominee, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.


October 10, 2008
The Future of Maryland Medevac
Kevin E. Dayhoff

The recent tragic crash of the Maryland State Police aviation command Medevac helicopter has unfortunately developed a subplot for those who wish to further a debate about the future of the vital air rescue service.


October 8, 2008
TFC Mickey Lippy – Hero
Kevin E. Dayhoff

At 11 P.M., September 27, Maryland State Police Medevac helicopter Trooper 2 left its hangar at the Andrews Air Force Base to preserve the “Golden Hour” for two traffic crash victims in Waldorf.


October 3, 2008
Congress and The Rattlesnake – Part 3
Kevin E. Dayhoff

On May 13, 2008, Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama compared the current housing crisis in the U.S. to the Great Depression in a campaign stop in Missouri.


October 2, 2008
Congress and The Rattlesnake – Part 2
Kevin E. Dayhoff

For several weeks the nation and the world have been watching the financial news emanating from Washington and Wall Street with that “deer in headlights” look as everyone holds their breath in disbelief and worries another shoe will drop.


October 1, 2008
Congress and the Rattlesnake – Part 1
Kevin E. Dayhoff

In response to the increasing wrath of the American voter, the U.S. House of Representatives came to its senses on Monday and voted 288 to 205 to kill the rash and ill-conceived proposed $700 billion bailout of Wall Street.


September 24, 2008
The Taneytown Business Breakfast
Kevin E. Dayhoff

I recently had a chance to attend the Taneytown business breakfast. I jumped at the opportunity to take a wonderful break from the drama of national politics and the byzantine intrigue over projected shortfalls in the Maryland state budget.


September 17, 2008
Truth, Lies and The Media
Kevin E. Dayhoff

Just two long weeks ago, Republican presidential nominee, Arizona Sen. John McCain, announced that he had chosen Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his vice presidential running mate.


September 12, 2008
A Little Convention History
Kevin E. Dayhoff

It would be an understatement to suggest that the events of last week were quite different from the first Republican National Convention June 17 to 19, 1856.


September 11, 2008
Eloquent Prose – Excellent Friends
Kevin E. Dayhoff

Last week I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to tag along to the Republican National Convention with the Maryland delegation.


September 10, 2008
The Four “E’s” of the GOP Convention
Kevin E. Dayhoff

I made a concerted effort to arrive early on each of the four days of last week’s Republican National Convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN.


September 5, 2008
Travelogue: Salt Lake City
Kevin E. Dayhoff

Although I have been very fortunate to have had opportunities to travel a great deal over the years, I have never visited the great American west. I recently had a chance to spend a week in Salt Lake City, Utah. I was not disappointed.


September 3, 2008
“La Policía”
Kevin E. Dayhoff

Carroll County history is replete with colorful conflicts, many of operatic proportions, between the Carroll County Board of Commissioners, the Carroll County delegation to Annapolis, and the sheriff.


August 27, 2008
The “Behindular Zone”
Kevin E. Dayhoff

When you get past the age of 50 you may as well get the second half-century off to the correct start and begin by getting a colonoscopy. I finally did it and survived. Come a little closer and I’ll tell you all about it.


August 20, 2008
A Civil Affair at Saddleback
Kevin E. Dayhoff

Last Saturday I took a two-hour break from total Olympics immersion therapy to watch Pastor Rick Warren's Saddleback Civil Forum on the presidency.


August 13, 2008
They shoot dogs, don’t they?
Kevin E. Dayhoff

In Prince Georges County on the evening of July 30, the home of the Berwyn Heights’ Mayor Cheye Calvo was the scene of a home invasion.


August 6, 2008
Insufficient Funds
Kevin E. Dayhoff

Recently the Carroll County Chapter of the Maryland Municipal League has been the focus of some unwanted and undesirable attention.


July 30, 2008
The Obama Phenomena
Kevin E. Dayhoff

With less than 100 days to go before the November presidential election, both presumptive candidates for the Oval Office continue to look for a key – knock-out – issue that will put them over the top.


July 23, 2008
Fetching Food and Politics
Kevin E. Dayhoff

Every third Wednesday in July the Maryland State Capital, if not the center of the Maryland political universe, moves from Annapolis to Crisfield for the annual J. Millard Tawes Crab and Clam Bake.


July 16, 2008
R.I.P. Tony Snow
Kevin E. Dayhoff

Last Saturday former White House press secretary, Fox News commentator and well-known columnist, Tony Snow, died of cancer at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington. He was but 53 years old.


July 9, 2008
The Path of History
Kevin E. Dayhoff

Hidden away in plain sight, in a storybook setting in northern Frederick County’s Catoctin Mountains, sits Eyler’s Valley Chapel, like a silent stone tribute to a Ralph Waldo Emerson essay.


July 2, 2008
The Lords of Annapolis
Kevin E. Dayhoff

Happy 4th of July. One of the main reasons we sought our independence from England was taxes. The only thing is – that this long after we won our independence – we are still fighting over taxes.


June 25, 2008
The MML and the COPS Program
Kevin E. Dayhoff

The annual Maryland Municipal League summer convention in Ocean City wraps up four days of seminars and meetings at the Ocean City Convention Center today.


June 18, 2008
Holes in Our Safety Net
Kevin E. Dayhoff

Tim Russert, “a giant in journalism and in politics” passed away unexpectedly last Friday. It followed by less than a week the death of ABC’s Jim McKay.


June 11, 2008
Jim McKay
Kevin E. Dayhoff

Yesterday morning the spotlight of the sports world was focused on the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Baltimore as people came together to pay their last respects to Maryland’s own Jim McKay.


June 4, 2008
The Mayhem of May
Kevin E. Dayhoff

For those who have desperately clung to a concept of civility and a respect for the office of the president, May was truly the month of full-employment for gossips, political pundits, and the ghoulish goblins of social maladjustment.


May 28, 2008
Ham Nation
Kevin E. Dayhoff

Newspaper junkies learned last week that Mary Katherine Ham is joining The Washington Examiner as the online editor of “the publication’s forthcoming new web site.”


May 21, 2008
Another Lock-Step Decision
Kevin E. Dayhoff

Last Friday, Westminster Common Councilmember, and Democratic National Convention superdelegate, Greg Pecoraro endorsed Senator Barack Obama. His endorsement comes as the Democratic primaries draw to a close and presidential historians are looking to a very busy summer.


May 14, 2008
Investigating A Downer
Kevin E. Dayhoff

On May 7, the Humane Society of the United States held a press conference in which it showed the results of an “undercover investigation” of stockyards and livestock auctions in Texas, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and at the Westminster Livestock Auction in Carroll County.


May 7, 2008
Pandering of Tulipomaniac Proportions
Kevin E. Dayhoff

In last week’s episode of “Democolypse Now,” the continuing saga of the deconstruction of America by the 2008 presidential campaign, we find Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton proposing a summer suspension of the federal taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel.


April 30, 2008
Seeing Red-Eye in the Camera
Kevin E. Dayhoff

The discussion and debate over speed and red light cameras continues to reverberate. It is one of a number of headaches lingering in the aftermath of the recent and unusual session of the Maryland General Assembly.


April 23, 2008
The Winds of Darkness
Kevin E. Dayhoff

On April 12, Gov. Martin O’Malley announced his administration’s opposition to the construction of wind power generators on public lands under the jurisdiction of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.


April 16, 2008
How to Make Trash Go Away
Kevin E. Dayhoff

Tomorrow the Carroll County Board of Commissioners will deliberate in open session and – hopefully – make a decision regarding the offer from Frederick County to join forces to make 1,100 tons of trash a day go away.


April 9, 2008
Wendi Peters – Mount Airy’s Steel Magnolia
Kevin E. Dayhoff

People were delighted to see former Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr., last Friday when he came to Frederick County in support of Mount Airy Councilwoman Wendi Wagner Peter’s re-election bid.


April 2, 2008
The McCain Vice President Decision
Kevin E. Dayhoff

Speculation persists as to who presumptive Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain will choose as a running mate. This upcoming decision has sparked a growing debate among many political pundits for a number of reasons.


March 26, 2008
Preaching to the Choir
Kevin E. Dayhoff

As April 7, the final day of the 2008 Maryland General Assembly session, looms on the horizon, a great deal of conversation is focused on the fate of many of the “social initiatives” of the administration of Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley.


March 19, 2008
Channeling the Kingfish
Kevin E. Dayhoff

On Monday, New York Gov. Eliot “Mr. Clean” Spitzer’s resignation took affect. To be sure, the country has been in a deep funk ever since the fall 2006 elections, but the last 10 days was not good for the weak-kneed political observer.


March 12, 2008
“Power to Tax, Not Power to Destroy…”
Kevin E. Dayhoff

…With all apologies to Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.; but today is being dubbed as “tax day” in the Maryland General Assembly.


March 6, 2008
Making Trash Go Away – Part 2
Kevin E. Dayhoff

The February 26th joint meeting between Frederick and Carroll County over how to make trash go away came after two years of discussions and deliberations resulting from the Frederick County commissioners’ adoption of Resolution 06-05, on February 16, 2006.


March 5, 2008
Making Trash Go Away – Part One
Kevin E. Dayhoff

On February 26, the Frederick and Carroll County commissioners met to discuss how to make a combined 1,100 tons of trash-a-day go away.


February 27, 2008
Reality takes The Year Off
Kevin E. Dayhoff

Last weekend the nation’s governors met in Washington for the 100th annual National Governors Association 2008 winter meeting. They had lots to talk about; but it was the faltering economy that eventually stole the show.


February 20, 2008
A Presidents’ Day View
Kevin E. Dayhoff
In the wake of “Super Tuesday” and the “Potomac Primary,” all signs point to a November presidential contest between United States Senators John McCain, of Arizona, and Barack Obama, of Illinois.

February 13, 2008
The McCain Maalox Paradox
Kevin E. Dayhoff
At this point in the Republican 2008 presidential primary campaign Senator John McCain has over three times as many Republican National Convention delegates as former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. Most people have resigned themselves to the fact that Senator McCain is the de-facto Republican nominee.

February 6, 2008
The SB2 Virus
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Last November the Maryland General Assembly inadvertently installed a “Trojan Virus,” now named “SB2,” on the critically important Maryland technology industry.

January 30, 2008
Senator Robert Hooper – R.I.P.
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Last Thursday, former State Senator J. Robert Hooper, (R., Harford) passed away from colon cancer while surrounded by his family at his home in Street. He served in the Maryland Senate for nine years.

January 23, 2008
Iron Chef Maryland
Kevin E. Dayhoff
As members of the Maryland General Assembly prepare a menu of legislative edicts that will save the world from global warming, the weather feels rather chilly for State Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick.

January 16, 2008
“When all else fails, read the Constitution”
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Last Thursday, Carroll County Circuit Court Judge Thomas F. Stansfield delivered a decision in the lawsuit filed by Republicans, which sought to overturn more than $1.3 billion in new taxes passed in the special session of the Maryland General Assembly in November.

January 9, 2008
The Special Session Lawsuit
Kevin E. Dayhoff
The 425th session of the Maryland General Assembly begins today. Hopefully, the first order of business for that august body will be to re-visit and fix all the problems created during the special taxing session last November.

January 2, 2008
Spiro Agnew: Patron Saint of Alaska
Kevin E. Dayhoff
I was treated to a white Christmas last week. It snowed everyday the entire week I stayed at the Captain Cook Hotel in Anchorage, Alaska, which is incidentally the same hotel where the patron saint of Alaska, Maryland’s own Spiro Agnew, stayed on an impromptu stopover in 1981.

Kevin Dayhoff E-mail him at: kdayhoff AT carr DOT org His columns appear in The Tentacle, www.thetentacle.com; The Westminster Eagle /Eldersburg Eagle The Sunday Carroll Eagle - Opinion: http://explorecarroll.com/opinion-talk/ www.kevindayhoff.net http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/ www.westminstermarylandonline.net http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ http://www.youtube.com/user/kevindayhoff http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1040426835 http://picasaweb.google.com/kevindayhoff


20081231 2008 The Tentacle columns by Kevin Dayhoff


Monday, November 24, 2008

Recent Explore Carroll columns by Kevin Dayhoff

Recent Explore Carroll columns by Kevin Dayhoff

November 23, 2008

Turkey, stuffing, illegal radios and rowdy college kids
Published November 23, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
This Thursday is Thanksgiving, and we at The Eagle hope you have a great turkey-day with lots of food, friends and family. Perhaps because of our...


Welcome to the Coffee Shop Bank and Trust Company
Published November 19, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
I was sad to see last week that the Pour House Café on East Main Street in Westminster was closing. The unreal irony of the...


At Westminster polls in 1920, the 'Women Disappointed Them'
Published November 16, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
EAGLE ARCHIVE The fact that women gained the right to vote was a milestone that got mixed reviews in Carroll County after the 19th Amendment...


Life work of Sargent Shriver began in Westminster
Published November 12, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
Twenty years ago this week the community was abuzz in anticipation of one of Carroll County's most celebrated native sons, Robert Sargent Shriver Jr. returning...


Patriotic, misty-eyed and corny about our Election Day
Published November 9, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
EAGLE ARCHIVE Last Tuesday, after two years, 45 debates and $2.4 billion spent, American voters finally had their day. Is it just me, or does...


Junction and Lenny Moore explain what teens are thinking
Published November 5, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
On Thursday, Nov. 6, Junction Inc. will host a substance abuse and awareness program sponsored by the Board of County commissioners at 6 p.m....


After this long campaign season, we have many reasons to celebrate
Published October 31, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
This coming Tuesday is General Election Day, and I hope everyone takes the time to vote. Along with our freedom of speech, the right to vote...


Silvery Moon celebrates auxiliary's golden anniversary
Published October 29, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
Fifty years ago on Sept. 2, 1958, the Carroll Hospital Center Auxiliary was officially formed. Its first president was Gladys Wimert. Other community leaders...


William Jennings Bryan was the life of the party in 1900
Published October 24, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
I was watching the debate the other night -- you know, for the folks who, for some reason, want to be president -- when a...


Seems we're more in a 'Panic' than a 'Depression'
Published October 22, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
Anyone remember the Panic of 1907? Well, let me refresh your memory. On Oct. 22, 1907, one of the more dramatic financial failures in American...


We had joy, we had fun, we had sidewalks in the sun
Published October 17, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
EAGLE ARCHIVE I'm writing this week's column within feet of the Atlantic Ocean in Nags Head, N.C. And I mean, literally, "feet from the ocean."...


Tragedy comes home to Carroll in fallen officers
Published October 15, 2008 by Westminster Eagle, Eldersburg Eagle, Sunday Carroll Eagle
It's a sad fact that five Maryland police officers have died in the line of duty in 2008. But it's a curious fact that four...


Real-life 'Flash of Genius' saw his final days in Sykesville
Published October 12, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle, Eldersburg Eagle, Westminster Eagle
EAGLE ARCHIVE The next time you're driving around Carroll County and it starts to drizzle just a tad, but sure to thank your former neighbor,...


A Culinary Experience is food for thought on a tough topic
Published October 8, 2008 by Westminster Eagle, Eldersburg Eagle
On Monday, Oct. 13, the Rape Crisis Intervention Service of Carroll County will hold its ninth annual "A Culinary Experience," at Martin's Westminster. This is...


Westminster's Clock Tower will stand the test of time
Published October 1, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
Kevin Dayhoff kdayhoff@carr.org Ask anyone to name the most cherished landmark in Westminster, and most will say it's the Westminster Clock Tower, which sits atop the old...


Clock fund tolls for thee
Published October 1, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
Foundation seeks $35,000 for repairs More than 100 years old, the Westminster Clock Tower has taken a licking and, for the most part, it has...


Pardon my French, but where do these words come from?
Published September 28, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
EAGLE ARCHIVE This week, we visit an event that took place long before Carroll County was formed -- yet affects English speakers worldwide to this...


Letters
Published September 24, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
Are we, as parents, ready for the new school year? The summer flies by and another school year has begun. Even if you don't have...


Time to look toward shaping Westminster's the future
Published September 24, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
In last week's column I discussed the real challenge facing Westminster as the need for an open community conversation over the growth of city government,...


A few things to chew on as we contemplate Taneytown history
Published September 21, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
This Sunday we turn our attention to the northern part of Carroll County. For the convenience of folks in south Carroll, though, we'll...


Be critical of spending, but MML has been worthwhile
Published September 17, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
There has been a fair amount of discussion of late regarding published accounts of the June trip by 15 appointed and elected officials from Westminster...


League of extraordinary gentlemen (and women) serving Maryland
Published September 14, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
Between scholarships, the cost of conferences and its plan to create geocache sites in local municipalities, the Maryland Municipal League has been the...


Appreciating the composed chaos of the GOP Convention
Published September 10, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
I spent last week at the Republican National Convention at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. The Xcel Center is a hockey arena...


For many years, the convention 'party' came to Baltimore
Published September 5, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
This past week I was fortunate to have the opportunity to travel with the Maryland Delegation to the 2008 Republican National Convention at...


Power of art contributes to a community's vibrancy
Published September 3, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
This week's column is a bit of a travel log, but one that relates to life here in Westminster. Recently I had an opportunity to...


A town divided found purpose and prosperity as a unified Westminster
Published August 31, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
EAGLE ARCHIVE Last Sunday we looked at the early history of the western end of Westminster. It was a little more than 80 years ago...


Economic development will revitalize Pennsylvania Avenue
Published August 27, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
At a recent meeting of the Westminster Common Council, it was announced that Councilman Greg Pecoraro will chair another Pennsylvania Avenue initiative, and that Councilwoman...


Years ago, folks celebrated sticking The Forks in Westminster
Published August 24, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
The City of Westminster has recently been working to form a group to study the Pennsylvania Avenue of town. In that context, it's interesting that back...


I speak today in favor of adventures in 'behindular zone'
Published August 20, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
Well, I did it. Come a little closer, and I'll tell you all about it. All right, maybe not all about it. After all, this...


And now, for this week's installment of 'La Policia'
Published August 17, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
Carroll County's reputation for low crime and an aggressive approach to public safety is not a recent phenomenon. On July 16, 1925, the editor of the...


Future of police protection delayed, but crime doesn't rest
Published August 13, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
On Thursday, Aug. 7, the Board of County Commissioners voted 2-1 to not move forward with a plan to form a county police department...


Future of police protection delayed, but crime doesn't rest
Published August 13, 2008 by Eldersburg Eagle, Westminster Eagle
On Thursday, Aug. 7, the Board of County Commissioners voted 2-1 to not move forward with a plan to form a county police department...


Turkeys, fires and failed presidents were the stuff of old newspapers
Published August 10, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
As today's newspapers race into the Internet age, many folks might be fascinated with the look and feel of newspapers from the 1800s and early...


Carroll rides tall at the Chincoteague Pony auction
Published August 6, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
With pen in hand, Carroll County author Lois Szymanski looked up from a copy of one of her latest books, "Out of the Sea: Today's...


Fire and water have been volatile mix in Sykesville
Published August 3, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
It was 85 years ago, in the late afternoon of Monday, July 30, 1923, that an historic and terrible rainstorm hit Sykesville and other areas...


Destructive behavior from those contentious combines
Published July 30, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
On Saturday evening, the air was hot, thick and muggy, flavored with anticipation and seasoned with a hint of petroleum fumes. More than 5,000 fans...


Westminster's sacred places are shrines of community life
Published July 27, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
EAGLE ARCHIVE Since this is a Sunday column, I do hope it's fitting to talk about sacred places. Not necessarily houses of worship, mind you, though those...


Westminster's sacred places are shrines of community life
Published July 25, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
Since this is a Sunday column, I do hope it's fitting to talk about sacred places. Not necessarily houses of worship, mind you, though those are...


Viva la bicyclette de Carroll
Published July 23, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
Today, as you are reading this, the 95th Tour de France is in Stage 17. This year's race began on July 5. After 23 days,...


Memories from City Hall and e-mail from the great beyond
Published July 20, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
Westminster purchased the property for its City Hall, on Emerald Hill Lane, from the estate of George W. Albaugh in September 1939 for the grand...


Appreciating Tony Snow's passion for life
Published July 16, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
Saturday, July 12, former White House press secretary Tony Snow, 53, died of cancer. I certainly never knew him, yet after following his too-short career for...


Westminster's Civil War role didn't end at Corbit's Charge
Published July 13, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
The last several weeks have been busy in Carroll County, and one of the busiest was during the June 27-29 events surrounding the commemoration of...


Smith & Reifsnider was too hot to handle in July 1938
Published July 9, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
Seventy years ago, Carroll County was reeling from the aftermath of fireworks of an unwelcome variety -- one of the biggest fires in the county's...


What a concept: sharing the wealth and pain of tax increases
Published July 6, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
"Gov. (William Preston) Lane does not like taxes ... but as long as you have colleges to take your money, ... you are to have...


The merry marry month of June
Published July 2, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
As we say goodbye to the month of June, bachelors can breathe a sigh of relief that they've survived what has historically been the traditional...


Years ago, trip to the beach required help from a little ferry
Published June 29, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
EAGLE ARCHIVE For many Carroll County residents, summertime means an opportunity to make an annual family trek to Ocean City, Md. Some of my fondest childhood memories...


Westminster's past included days of swine and meters
Published June 25, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
There have been many critter problems in the history of Westminster, but none seems to have caused as much a stir as what to do...

20081123 recent Explore Carroll columns by Kevin Dayhoff

Monday, September 08, 2008

Recent Westminster Eagle and Sunday Carroll Eagle columns by Kevin Dayhoff

Recent Westminster Eagle and Sunday Carroll Eagle columns by Kevin Dayhoff

September 5, 2008

For many years, the convention 'party' came to Baltimore
Published September 5, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
This past week I was fortunate to have the opportunity to travel with the Maryland Delegation to the 2008 Republican National Convention at...

Power of art contributes to a community's vibrancy
Published September 3, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
This week's column is a bit of a travel log, but one that relates to life here in Westminster. Recently I had an opportunity to...

A town divided found purpose and prosperity as a unified Westminster
Published August 31, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
EAGLE ARCHIVE Last Sunday we looked at the early history of the western end of Westminster. It was a little more than 80 years ago...

Economic development will revitalize Pennsylvania Avenue
Published August 27, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
At a recent meeting of the Westminster Common Council, it was announced that Councilman Greg Pecoraro will chair another Pennsylvania Avenue initiative, and that Councilwoman...

Years ago, folks celebrated sticking The Forks in Westminster
Published August 24, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
The City of Westminster has recently been working to form a group to study the Pennsylvania Avenue of town. In that context, it's interesting that back...

I speak today in favor of adventures in 'behindular zone'
Published August 20, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
Well, I did it. Come a little closer, and I'll tell you all about it. All right, maybe not all about it. After all, this...

And now, for this week's installment of 'La Policia'
Published August 17, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
Carroll County's reputation for low crime and an aggressive approach to public safety is not a recent phenomenon. On July 16, 1925, the editor of the...

Future of police protection delayed, but crime doesn't rest
Published August 13, 2008 by Eldersburg Eagle, Westminster Eagle
On Thursday, Aug. 7, the Board of County Commissioners voted 2-1 to not move forward with a plan to form a county police department...

Turkeys, fires and failed presidents were the stuff of old newspapers
Published August 10, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
As today's newspapers race into the Internet age, many folks might be fascinated with the look and feel of newspapers from the 1800s and early...

Carroll rides tall at the Chincoteague Pony auction
Published August 6, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
With pen in hand, Carroll County author Lois Szymanski looked up from a copy of one of her latest books, "Out of the Sea: Today's...

Fire and water have been volatile mix in Sykesville
Published August 3, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
It was 85 years ago, in the late afternoon of Monday, July 30, 1923, that an historic and terrible rainstorm hit Sykesville and other areas...

Destructive behavior from those contentious combines
Published July 30, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
On Saturday evening, the air was hot, thick and muggy, flavored with anticipation and seasoned with a hint of petroleum fumes. More than 5,000 fans...

Westminster's sacred places are shrines of community life
Published July 25, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
Since this is a Sunday column, I do hope it's fitting to talk about sacred places. Not necessarily houses of worship, mind you, though those are...

Viva la bicyclette de Carroll
Published July 23, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
Today, as you are reading this, the 95th Tour de France is in Stage 17. This year's race began on July 5. After 23 days,...

Memories from City Hall and e-mail from the great beyond
Published July 20, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
Westminster purchased the property for its City Hall, on Emerald Hill Lane, from the estate of George W. Albaugh in September 1939 for the grand...

Appreciating Tony Snow's passion for life
Published July 16, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
Saturday, July 12, former White House press secretary Tony Snow, 53, died of cancer. I certainly never knew him, yet after following his too-short career for...

Westminster's Civil War role didn't end at Corbit's Charge
Published July 13, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
The last several weeks have been busy in Carroll County, and one of the busiest was during the June 27-29 events surrounding the commemoration of...

Smith & Reifsnider was too hot to handle in July 1938
Published July 9, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
Seventy years ago, Carroll County was reeling from the aftermath of fireworks of an unwelcome variety -- one of the biggest fires in the county's...

What a concept: sharing the wealth and pain of tax increases
Published July 6, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
"Gov. (William Preston) Lane does not like taxes ... but as long as you have colleges to take your money, ... you are to have...

The merry marry month of June
Published July 2, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
As we say goodbye to the month of June, bachelors can breathe a sigh of relief that they've survived what has historically been the traditional...

Years ago, trip to the beach required help from a little ferry
Published June 29, 2008 by Sunday Carroll Eagle
EAGLE ARCHIVE For many Carroll County residents, summertime means an opportunity to make an annual family trek to Ocean City, Md. Some of my fondest childhood memories...

Westminster's past included days of swine and meters
Published June 25, 2008 by Westminster Eagle
There have been many critter problems in the history of Westminster, but none seems to have caused as much a stir as what to do...


Dayhoff explorecarroll.com/opinion-talk/

20080905 Recent Westminster Eagle and Sunday Carroll Eagle columns

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Economic development will revitalize Pennsylvania Avenue in Westminster

Westminster Eagle column by Kevin Dayhoff: Economic development will revitalize Pennsylvania Avenue in Westminster

Economic development will revitalize Pennsylvania Avenue

Is rezoning for business development the right idea for a comeback on Pennsylvania Avenue?

By Kevin Dayhoff
kdayhoff@carr.org Posted on www.explorecarroll.com 8/27/08 (573 words)
At a recent meeting of the Westminster Common Council, it was announced that Councilman Greg Pecoraro will chair another Pennsylvania Avenue initiative, and that Councilwoman Suzanne Albert will serve as vice-chair.

You may recall it was on Sept. 18, 2002, that a previous Pennsylvania Avenue committee announced its findings.

Previously, there had been a number of community-based initiatives to address crime on Pennsylvania Avenue; which had started to become a matter of heightened public discussion in 1999.

One of the immediate impetuses to form the 2002 initiative was the February 2002 groundbreaking for the Carroll Arts Center. At the time, there was enthusiasm to unleash market forces on Pennsylvania Avenue and extend the Westminster business footprint back to the area by encouraging art and cultural venues and businesses.

The 2002 Pennsylvania Avenue initiative resulted in an extensive set of recommendations pertaining to various ways government could stimulate revitalization of this critical area of town. The recommendations addressed public safety, housing and economic development opportunities. It included changing the zoning of the area to open it up to art studios, professional offices, coffee shops, barber shops and beauty parlors and the like.

In short, it aimed to restore the area to what it looked like -- and what made the area of town successful -- before the disastrous November 1979 decision by the then-Westminster mayor and council to rezone this thriving business section of town to strictly residential.

Prior to 1979, Pennsylvania Avenue looked like East Main Street, with a successful mix of residential and business uses of property.
Almost 30 years later, East Main is flourishing with art shops, coffee houses, professional offices, and residential housing -- mixed together in an approach that looks like a traditional town in the 1800s and 1900s. It looks like the very recipe of property uses that made Westminster great.

Most, but not all, of the 2002 committee recommendations were adopted. However, the one proposal recognized as the best long-range systemic solution -- economic development -- never materialized.

As a result, since then, even more opportunities have been lost as constraints in water supply have stopped almost all economic development in Westminster. However, if rezoning efforts had been in place, adaptive reuse of properties on Pennsylvania Avenue could have presented wonderful opportunities for Westminster (because a property's existing water allocation could have been transferred).

Providing Pennsylvania Avenue property owners with the opportunities currently available to East Main Street would give owners alternatives in land use that they have been denied since November 1979.

How we treat an area that needs attention says a great deal about who we are as a community. And one of the best solutions to our budget problems is expanding our business footprint and the commercial tax base.

I recently spoke with Pecoraro, who is considered by many as a national authority on urban planning and public policy analysis. He says he has an open mind on the solutions for Pennsylvania Avenue, and emphasized that he wants to hear from citizens and explore any option that may help.

"I've put a great deal of thought into it. I want to build upon our successes; (and) be honest about what did not work," Pecoraro said.

The time has come to take a fresh look at the job creation and business opportunities on Pennsylvania Avenue. After many years, problems persist. It's time to try a different approach. The stakes are high for all of Westminster.


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

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

20080708 Articles by Bryan Schutt of the Carroll County Times on the Westminster FY 2008 2009 budget





Articles by Bryan Schutt of the Carroll County Times on the Westminster FY 2008 2009 budget:

July 8, 2008


Westminster set to hold special meeting Jul. 8, 2008: Westminster’s Mayor and Common Council will hold a special meeting Wednesday to approve a $3.5 million bond. The $3.5 million will be used to finance several city street projects. The Common Council originally approved the decision to...


Westminster to borrow for street repairs By Bryan Schutt, Time Staff Writer Tuesday, June 17, 2008: Westminster council members and city officials said they needed to borrow $3.5 million to keep up with the city’s deteriorating streets. Following through with several months long of discussion, Westminster’s Common Council approved the decision last week to borrow $3.5 million to catch up with street repairs. The council stressed that the work they plan to complete is catch-up work only. “The council spoke loudly and clearly their strong desire and intent to try to get caught up and keep roads from getting much worse,” Mayor Thomas Ferguson said. “I’m not happy about taking on more debt but it’s the only realistic way to get this done.” Roland Unger, Westminster’s director of finance, said the $3.5 million loan is for a 9-year term, borrowed at a 3.66 percent fixed interest rate. He said the approved proposal came from BB&T and was about a full percentage lower than the other offer the city received from PNC Bank. The city will pay about $128,000 of interest-only payments this fiscal year and next, and then will pay about $571,000 in interest and principal for the remaining seven years of the loan, Unger said. The city only extended the loan for 9 years because they didn’t want to pay for something longer than it was useful. “Because the life of road repairs are about 10 years, we didn’t want to take out a loan that exceeds the life of what we’re repairing,” Unger said. Including the $3.5 million loan for the streets project, Unger said he estimates the city’s debt to asset ratio at about 27 percent. He said the city has about $26 million debt and about $94 million in assets. He said he doesn’t believe the amount of debt the city has will affect future borrowing and the debt service on the loan matched up with what the city would budget for street spending. “I don’t think we’ve exceeded what’s reasonable,” Unger said. “We should spend on streets is about $400,000 to $500,000 per year. The debt service on this loan is $571,000 per year.” …


Carroll County Times editorial: No agenda is sign of poor government Editorial for Wednesday, June 11, 2008: People often complain that governments have hidden agendas. Unfortunately, some Carroll County governments are very literally living up to that, if they have an agenda at all. Take for example the City of Westminster's Common Council meeting Monday night, where the council approved the fiscal year 2008 budget. The problem? Despite numerous attempts, we were unable to get an agenda for the meeting until about 3:45 p.m. Monday - just slightly more than 3 hours before the meeting. It was only then that it came to light that the city planned to approve the fiscal year 2008 budget. Needless to say, there probably were few average citizens who were aware of what the council was going to do at Monday night's meeting. Passing the budget is, more often than not, the most important decision any governing body will make during the entire year. And for some reason, the Westminster Common Council didn't view this as important enough to let taxpayers know about it sooner than three hours before the meeting. On the town's Web site, there was still no agenda posted Tuesday morning, just a notice that the May 26 meeting was canceled because of Memorial Day, and the next meeting was scheduled for June 9. There was no agenda for the meeting, and certainly no mention of the approval of the budget. The state's Open Meetings Law doesn't require governments to post agendas of their meetings. But common sense would suggest you aren't going to get too many people to your meetings if you don't tell them what the meeting will cover. Posting agendas is just a basic part of good government, whether it is required or not. The fact that the budget was approved without a public hearing is another matter altogether. This is just the most recent and egregious example of governments not posting agendas for meetings within a reasonable time frame. Municipalities around the county routinely do not post agendas until the day of the meeting, if at all...


Westminster OKs fiscal year 2009 budget By Bryan Schutt, Times Staff Writer Tuesday, June 10, 2008: The City of Westminster approved its fiscal year 2009 budget Monday night at the Common Council meeting without holding a public hearing on the complete budget. During the May 5 public hearing on the constant yield tax rate, the city decided the tax rate will remain at $0.44 per $100 and a narrative budget was passed out and made available to the public, but a public hearing on the proposed budget never took place. There weren’t any comments from the public about the budget during the May 12 Common Council meeting. An amendment to the city code says the mayor and Common Council shall hold a public hearing on the proposed capital budget on or before May 1. In what City Administrator Marge Wolf described as a difficult process of balancing the budget, the city’s budget calls for $37,633,002 in total appropriations for fiscal year 2009, down from last years $40.8 million in expenditures. The $37.6 million consists of about $16 million in general fund requirements, about $6 million in sewer fund requirements, about $13 million in water fund requirements and nearly $2 million for housing fund requirements. Also approved was a $3.5 million bond for street expenses. The first two years of the bond will have interest-only payments of about $128,000, according to Mayor Thomas Ferguson, and then the city will have a debt service of about $500,000 in principal and interest per year for seven years, he said. Ferguson said the city also laid out a prediction of revenues and expenditures for future years. “The revenue picture is not all that bright,” Ferguson said. “[In the future] the city will need to make tough decisions regarding revenues and expenditures.” Wolf said Westminster has its work cut out for making future budgets that will continue to encompass everything the city currently offers. The city is organizing several task forces to reduce spending, Wolf said. In August, it will look at all of its fees and assessments and try to create a clearer picture of future allocation of city funds. City officials are hoping for input from residents in the survey they are set to send out this month, but that information wouldn’t apply to the 2009 fiscal year budget. Councilman Robert Wack said although the budget process may have painted a harsh picture, the city has set a high standard of fiscal prudence, and in the long run he believes the city will benefit from the change in the budget format. “This was a huge step forward in quality of information on how we make decisions of how we spend taxpayers’ money,” Wack said. “It looks bad because of good things.”


Common Council moves up street projects, will take on debt By Bryan Schutt, Times Staff Writer Tuesday, May 13, 2008: Deciding that improvements to Westminster streets couldn’t wait, the Common Council revised the fiscal years 2009-2014 Capital Improvement Plan at Monday’s meeting to front load the city’s budget for street overlay projects, and go in debt in the process. The $7.4 million in the six-year CIP for street overlay projects has not changed. But the allocation of the funds has been reworked. Instead of backloading the city street projects, $2 million will be included in this year’s budget and $1.5 million will be included for the fiscal year 2010 budget. The city will have to borrow the money for this upcoming fiscal year’s projects, and the general fund budget will be adjusted to reflect the projects, according to City Administrator Marge Wolf. The Common Council’s justification to rework the budget was the importance of getting the projects done before the streets become much worse. “The cost of not doing this now is far greater than the cost of doing it now,” Councilman Greg Pecoraro said. He said the interest rates to borrow money are very favorable right now, asphalt costs will probably continue to rise, making the project even pricier, and the current slow down in construction in the area means the city will probably get the best contract price for the project as the council could hope for…


Westminster council delays budget hearing By Brian Schutt, Times Staff Writer Tuesday, May 06, 2008: Westminster city officials decided to hold off on the fiscal year 2009 budget public hearing because they believe the city government needs to re-evaluate the lack of funds put forth for city streets in the Capital Improvement Program. Instead, the Common Council conducted the public hearing for the constant yield tax rate Monday night. Mayor Thomas Ferguson said property assessments increased during the year and the city will generate an additional $510,315 because of the increase. The council won’t reduce the tax rate to offset the increased assessments, but it will not increase the tax rate either. The tax rate will remain at $0.44 per $100, according to Ferguson. The public record for the constant yield tax rate will remain open until 4:30 p.m. Friday. The public hearing for the budget was tentatively rescheduled until the May 12 meeting of the Common Council…


City officials tout budget document's new look By Bryan Schutt, Times Staff Writer Monday, May 05, 2008: Westminster’s new budget document represents a bright spot in an otherwise tough fiscal year to plan, according to city officials, and now, they say it’s time for residents’ input. While the old budget was about 25 pages of numbers, the new 100-page narrative budget outlays how each department spends its money. Copies of the budget will be available at the public hearing tonight. “People have been asking for more clarity,” Councilman Gregory Pecoraro said. “This form [of the budget] lets us show people what we’re actually spending money on. I think people could pick it up and say, ‘Now I understand where my tax dollars are going.’” City Administrator Marge Wolf said the narrative-style budget was something the council had been working toward for the past couple of years, and their specific budget layout was inspired from the City of Greenbelt’s budget design. She said Westminster’s new budget format is also recommended by the Public Finance Officer’s Association because it helps people understand the city’s spending. Mayor Thomas Ferguson said he believed the new budget is greatly improved over previous years’…


Proposed Westminster plan focuses on water, sewer issues By Bryan Schutt, Times Staff Writer Wednesday, April 30, 2008: Although city officials say Westminster needs additional funding for street work, water and sewer funds make up the majority of the six-year Capital Improvement Plan that was proposed during this week’s Common Council meeting. The water and sewer funds make up more than $58 million of the $74.6 million CIP. Maryland Department of the Environment projects make up the bulk of the expenses, Westminster Director of Planning, Zoning and Development Thomas Beyard said. “Water is a big item for the city and will continue to be one for the next few years,” Beyard said. He said the Westminster wastewater treatment plant upgrade and expansion will cost about $36 million, and $27 million of that money will probably be funded by MDE…


Westminster overhauls Capital Improvement Plan By Bryan Schutt, Times Staff Writer Tuesday, April 29, 2008: Budget concerns became a reality in Westminster Monday, when the proposed Capital Improvement Plan featured a scaled-back fiscal year 2009 budget. The Westminster Common Council was presented with a CIP drastically different from the one originally approved by the Westminster Planning and Zoning Commission on March 13. The revised document had 2009 expenditures totaling about $6 million; the March 13 document had about $8 million in expenses. Though the water and sewer funds make up $5.4 million of both the old and new CIP, the revised CIP eliminated $229,000 in funds for police vehicles and bumped the Americans with Disability Act park renovations until the 2010 fiscal year, which saved the city $125,000. But the most noticeable change came in the street department fund. The revised CIP cut more that $1 million from the Street Department. Streets, which are always a concern, were originally slated to have a $400,000 budget to start renovating city streets, but now all the work to be done on streets has been delayed until the 2010 fiscal year…


Westminster officials say they don't plan to boost taxes By Bryan Schutt, Times Staff Writer Sunday, April 27, 2008: An increase in taxes won’t be recommended in the city’s upcoming budget, according to Westminster city officials, despite worries about revenues for the fiscal year. City administrator Marge Wolf said the budget will be tight this year, especially because the city has seen so many increased operating costs. “Workers’ [compensation] increased by 30 percent, health insurance rates increased 10 percent and electric rates went up 40 percent,” Wolf said. The Common Council will meet on Monday to discuss the Capital Improvement Program, and it will hold a public hearing on the budget May 5…


20080708 Articles by Bryan Schutt of the Carroll County Times on the Westminster FY 2008 2009 budget