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

Friday, February 16, 2007

20070216 Nice T shirt


Nice T-shirt

February 16th, 2007

H/t: CJ

An election campaign salute to NY Senator Hillary Clinton

CJ writes, “Where can I get one of these?”

####

20070215 Louie’s Back Yard

,


Louie’s Back Yard Key West

February 15th, 2007

http://www.louiesbackyard.com/

20070215 License Plate spotted in Key West


License Plate spotted in Key West
(I photoshopped two of the letters/numbers out of the plate...)

February 15th, 2007

“billoreilly.com… The Spin Stops Here!”

Mr. O’Reilly would be proud.

(Picture of Mr. O’Reilly from http://www.billoreilly.com/)


20070215 Key West Key Lime Pie




Key West Key Lime Pie

February 15th, 2007

Apparently the Key Lime Pie maven in Westminster is the Westminster City Clerk, Laurell Taylor. This post and photographs are in her honor.

####

20070215 Sippin at Java Joe’s in Key West


Daily Photoblog: Sippin at Java Joe’s” in Key West

Traveling away from home usually two issues quickly arise; one, internet access and two, good coffee.

For this visit to Key West I have excellent internet access, so that leaves the issue of coffee to be solved. That was quickly remedied by “Sippin at Java Joe’s.”
Sippin @ Java Joe's
http://www.sippinatjavajoes.com/
424 Eaton Street - Key West, Florida

Thursday, February 15, 2007

20070214 Westminster tattoo parlor ban draws heat

Westminster tattoo parlor ban draws heat

Writing for the Baltimore Examiner, Kelsey Volkmann has an article in the February 14th, 2007 edition of the paper on the recent Westminster Common Council vote to ban tattoo parlors in Westminster.

I totally agree with Lori Graham and Stan Ruchlewicz, especially when one considers all the empty store fronts in Westminster of the last year or so…

Kelsey Volkmann, The Examiner, Feb 14, 2007 3:00 AM

http://www.examiner.com/a-564423~Westminster_tattoo_parlor_ban_draws_heat.html

Westminster - Critics lambasted Westminster’s new ban on downtown tattoo shops as anti-business.

“Restricting the types of businesses that can move downtown makes no sense to me,” said Lori Graham, the sole member of the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission to vote against the ban. Graham is president of the Greater Westminster Development Corp., a nonprofit that works to stimulate economic development.

[…]

… Stan Ruchlewicz, Westminster’s economic development administrator, said he wants to attract “cool shops that are youth-oriented because that’s where the market is.”

“What we need is to get some shops that people will come shop through the generations,” he said. “It’s our comic book and skateboard shops that are keeping downtown alive. By allowing tattoo parlors out on the highway, you have youth shopping out on the highway.”

Read the entire article here.



20070214 Key West The Day in Pictures









Key West - The Day in Pictures

February 14th, 2007

Top to bottom:

Key West Light House

Ernest’s Café

Do Not Feed the Chickens

A friendly chicken near Mallory Square

A Key West door

Mallory Square

Cayo Hueso Habana sign in Mallory Square

Sculpture in front of the old Custom’s House

####

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

20070214 Southernmost Point




Southernmost Point – Key West

February 14th, 2007

20070214 Gauging A Presidential Legacy





20070214 President Harry Truman and Gauging a presidential legacy

My Tentacle column for this week is up: Gauging A Presidential Legacy

Pictured to the left is the executive director of the Little White House Museum, in Key West Florida, Robert J. Wolz on February 12, 2007

February 14, 2007

Gauging A Presidential Legacy

Kevin E. Dayhoff

Recently political pundits have spent a great deal of effort pondering the legacy of President George W. Bush. Of course, those of us who consider ourselves to be students of history understand that history needs much more time and distance in order to accurately gauge the legacy and historical impact of any particular president.

Yet, uncannily, there are many parallels shared in the legacy of our 33rd president, Harry S Truman and President Bush, our 43rd president; and it is only understandable that the comparisons persist.

I took the opportunity Monday to tour President Truman's Key West White House, known as the "Little White House," in order to re-acquaint myself with the great legacy of the now-legendary president.

After the tour I interviewed the executive director of the Little White House Museum, Robert J. Wolz, at great length. The tour guide, David Lynch and Mr. Wolz are both walking encyclopedias on the life and times of President Truman.

Mr. Wolz says, with a certain "I told you so" confidence, that it is "remarkable that President Truman has gone from the least popular president of all time to the fifth most successful."

President Truman first arrived in Key West in November 1946, just days after the majority party in Congress had changed in the mid-term elections. In his case, Republicans reclaimed Congress for the first time since the administration of Republican President Herbert Hoover, the man who had immediately preceded President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Read the rest here: Gauging A Presidential Legacy

####

Florida Key West, President George W. Bush, President Harry S Truman, The Tentacle, History American Presidents

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

20070214 Greetings from Key West

Greetings from Key West

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Happy Valentine’s Day

Around lunchtime, when I took the picture above, I got a phone call from WJZ reporter Mike Schuh
[1]. He was in Westminster tracking down a snow story.

For twenty years as an elected official, I got to work with many great journalists from the print, radio, and TV media. Mike Schuh is one of the best of the best. Always pre-occupied with getting it right and reporting relevant and community-oriented news – he is “real people.”

For more on Mr. Schuh – go here. And be sure to read his “A Bakers Dozen of Sensible Schuh's.”

Later – I checked in on how Mr. Schuh was making-out getting the story in Westminster. I was at Southernmost Point at the time… I’ll post that picture separately…

















UPDATE: For Mr. Schuh’s reporting of the snow event in Westminster go here: http://wjz.com/video/?id=24955@wjz.dayport.com

_____
[1] Mike Schuh, WJZ Channel 13 Reporter

February 14th, 2007

http://wjz.com/bios/local_bio_053095449

Mike Schuh joined WJZ Eyewitness News as a general assignment reporter in April, 1993. In 2002 Mike won a Regional Edward R. Murrow award for feature reporting. During his career at Eyewitness News he has also earned 7 Emmy Awards for Hard News Investigations, General News Reporting and Features Reporting.

Mike came to WJZ after reporting for other television stations in Indianapolis, Louisville, Missouri and Illinois. In 1983 he received his B.S. Degree in News Reporting from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Mike lives near Towson with his wife and one very, very energetic daughter.

20070214 Our Home away from home in Key West



Our Home away from home in Key West

February 14th, 2007

Of course, we’re roughing it down here in Key West. Today it was in the 80s, the sun was out and it was another gorgeous day.

We ate lunch at a Cuban restaurant at Mallory Square, slipped down to Southernmost Point for a quick photo and then toured Hemingway’s house at 907 Whitehead Street.

Folks have asked where we are staying, so we thought that we show ya a picture of the place.

Yeah, it’s kind of ostentatious but we love it.

Yes, those are our chickens. They are quite friendly.

Okay, I thought I would wash the windows, feed the chickens and spruce the place up a bit. I’ll write more later.

Kevin and the Math Potatoes.

####

Crazy Topics: Craziest Laws in America

Craziest Laws in America

This is a list of crazy laws in American history. Most of the laws listed below were repealed by now but there are many crazy laws on the list that are still being used....  


Maryland
  • Baltimore City: Though you may spit on a city roadway, spitting on city sidewalks is prohibited. You may not curse inside the city limits.
  • Baltimore: It's illegal to throw bales of hay from a second-story window within the city limits. It's illegal to take a lion to the movies. It is a park rule violation to be in a public park with a sleeveless shirt. $10 fine. This would include joggers that go shirtless. (1898) -Park Rule 6 It is a violation of city code to sell chicks or ducklings to a minor within 1 week of the Easter holiday.
  • Baltimore has regulations governing the disposal of hog's heads, pet droppings and oyster shells.
  • Columbia: You can not have a antenna exposed outside of your house yet you can have a 25' satellite dish. Though clotheslines are banned, clothes may be draped over a fence.
  • Eating while swimming in the ocean is prohibited.
  • Gypsies should steer clear of Caroline County, Md., where it's a $100 fine or six months in the can for "forecasting or pretending to foretell the future."
  • In Baltimore it's illegal to block the sidewalk with a box. But the offense only carries a $1 fine. Another law makes it illegal to throw bale of hay (or of anything else) out a second-story window. That gets you a $20 fine. In Baltimore it's illegal to play professional croquet before 2 p.m. Sunday. The law also applies to professional quoits.
  • In Baltimore it is illegal to mistreat oysters.
  • In Baltimore, it is illegal to wash or scrub sinks no matter how dirty they get.
  • In Baltimore, Maryland, it is not legal to take a lion to the movies.
  • In Halethrope, Maryland kisses longer than one second are illegal.
  • In Maryland, a woman may not go through her husband's pockets while he is sleeping.
  • In Maryland, men may not buy drinks for female bartenders.
  • In Maryland, it is illegal to sell condoms from vending machines with one exception: prophylactics may be dispensed from a vending machine only "in places where alcoholic beverages are sold for consumption on the premises."
  • In Maryland, the legislature once proposed a board of parachute examiners to be made up of five licensed parachute instructors who would test and license all other parachute instructors. The plan had been abandoned when it was learned there were only three licensed parachute instructors in the state.
  • In the entire state of Maryland, it is illegal to give or recieve oral sex.
  • It is a violation to be in a public park with a sleeveless shirt. $10 fine.
  • Maryland now requires that alcohol beverage writers be certified as experts by an agency of the state before they can receive product samples, which it limits to three bottles per brand.
  • Ocean City: A law from the early 1900's prohibits men from going topless on the Boardwalk. Eating while swimming in the ocean is prohibited
  • Thistles may not grow in one's yard.
  • You cannot swear while inside the city limits of Baltimore.


*****

20070214 Special Weather Statement # 3

Carroll County

Office of Public Safety

Support Services

A great place to live, a great place to work, a great place to play”

225 N. Center St., Westminster, MD 21157

410-386-2877, Fax: 410-848-3794

____________________________________________________________________________________

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT #3

February 14, 2007

The National Weather Service Winter Storm Warning remains in effect for today until 10 AM.

Freezing rain and a wintry mix will end mid morning with little or no additional accumulation. Scattered snow showers may occur throughout the day as the cold front moves out of the area.

This afternoon winds will be out of the northwest and become strong with gusts from 25 to 30 MPH this afternoon and increasing gusts tonight up to 40 MPH.

Temperatures and wind chill will begin to fall this morning and drop into the single digits by this evening.

The Office of Public Safety Support Services will continue to monitor the situation. Further updates will be issued as necessary.


February 14, 2007

0900 HRS

20070214 President Harry Truman and Gauging a presidential legacy





20070214 President Harry Truman and Gauging a presidential legacy

My Tentacle column for this week is up: Gauging A Presidential Legacy

Pictured to the left is the executive director of the Little White House Museum, in Key West Florida, Robert J. Wolz on February 12, 2007

February 14, 2007

Gauging A Presidential Legacy

Kevin E. Dayhoff

Recently political pundits have spent a great deal of effort pondering the legacy of President George W. Bush. Of course, those of us who consider ourselves to be students of history understand that history needs much more time and distance in order to accurately gauge the legacy and historical impact of any particular president.

Yet, uncannily, there are many parallels shared in the legacy of our 33rd president, Harry S Truman and President Bush, our 43rd president; and it is only understandable that the comparisons persist.

I took the opportunity Monday to tour President Truman's Key West White House, known as the "Little White House," in order to re-acquaint myself with the great legacy of the now-legendary president.

After the tour I interviewed the executive director of the Little White House Museum, Robert J. Wolz, at great length. The tour guide, David Lynch and Mr. Wolz are both walking encyclopedias on the life and times of President Truman.

Mr. Wolz says, with a certain "I told you so" confidence, that it is "remarkable that President Truman has gone from the least popular president of all time to the fifth most successful."

President Truman first arrived in Key West in November 1946, just days after the majority party in Congress had changed in the mid-term elections. In his case, Republicans reclaimed Congress for the first time since the administration of Republican President Herbert Hoover, the man who had immediately preceded President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Read the rest here: Gauging A Presidential Legacy

####

Florida Key West, President George W. Bush, President Harry S Truman, The Tentacle, History American Presidents

20070213 Thai Cuisine in Key West Florida




Thai Cuisine in Key West Florida

February 13th, 2007

For dinner this evening we ate at a Thai restaurant, “Thai Cuisine,” at the corner of Greene and Ann Streets.

Just as we sat down at our table, the Westminster, Maryland acting director of planning and public works, Jeff Glass called.

The picture of the old Key West City Hall was the view I had from my seat as I chatted with Mr. Glass at several minutes past 7 PM Tuesday evening, February 13th, 2007.

Of course in Key West, the outside is blurred with the inside - - and what is inside is outside and what is outside is inside. We had a table that was under-roof, however, it was as much outside as it was inside.

Gee, that sounds like a keen observation of the “Math Potatoes,” Pi, Algebra (Al), Geometry (Geo) and Isosceles.

Mr. Glass was the focus of my last column in the Westminster Eagle – last Wednesday, February 7th, 2007: “Westminster is great, even if it does get your goat .”

In Key West, as I chatted with Mr. Glass, the temperature was in the 80s and it was simply a beautiful evening. In Westminster, it was well below zero and they were in the middle of a wintry mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain.

I had called earlier to how the guys in the Street Department were making out. They have been putting an incredible amount of hours in the last several weeks. As much as I feel guilty about being in Key West while the folks in the Street Department are fighting with frozen equipment, slippery and treacherous roads, long hours and the cold - - I have come to simply hate the cold, snow and ice of winter and I am very happy to be in Key West.

The Westminster Street Department is the focus of my column in the Westminster Eagle that will be coming out tomorrow, Wednesday, February 14th, 2007.

This is a great group of professionals that are a key part of why we have such a high quality of life in Westminster. It is my view that they don’t get enough credit.

Meanwhile, our dinner at the Thai restaurant was exquisite. I had a large selection of sushi. The service was prompt and courteous and as much as everything in Key West is expensive, at least I felt that we got value from what we spent.

The doggie with the sunglasses was a hoot and I couldn’t resist taking the dinner guest’s picture. Chickens, cats, and dogs are frequent dinner guests in many of the restaurants in Key West Just part of the quirky charm.

Kevin

####

20070213 Rooftop Gardens in Key West


The Rooftop Gardens above the Whiskey Bar on Duval Street in Key West

February 13th, 2007

20070213 Key West Door


Key West Door
February 13th, 2007


20070213 The Yellow Bicycle


The Yellow Bicycle

February 13th, 2007

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

20070213 Coin and Currency Show announcement:


Coin and Currency Show

At the

Westminster Fire Hall

John Street Quarters

28 John Street, Westminster, MD

2007

May 13th October 14th

Open: 9:00 AM to 4:30

FREE ADMISSION FREE PARKING

Sponsored By:

CARL E. OSTIGUY, JR

CEO COINS, CURRENCY

and TREASURES

P. O. BOX 92, Savage, Maryland 20763

443-623-7025

E-MAIL: ceocoins(at)comcast.net

www.coinbrowser.com/show-westminster.html

www.coinshows.com/westminster_co.html

20070213 Key West Sign


Key West Sign

Tuesday, February 13th, 2007

Garden of Eden Clothing Optional Bar

####

20070213 Spec Weather Statement 2

Special Weather Statement 2

Carroll County

Office of Public Safety

Support Services

“A great place to live, a great place to work, a great place to play”

225 N. Center St., Westminster, MD 21157

410-386-2877, Fax: 410-848-3794

____________________________________________________________________________________

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT #2

February 13, 2007

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning statement for today through February 14, 2007 for the Maryland area.

Snow fall will continue through out Carroll County this afternoon accumulating 1” to 3” before changing over late afternoon to a sleet and freezing rain mix. Up to a ½” of ice may accumulate this evening with heaviest precipitation occurring after 10 p.m.

Freezing rain and sleet will continue overnight changing back to snow mid-morning with an additional 1” to 2” accumulation and ending by noon.

This afternoon winds out of the northeast will pick up 20-30 mph changing to northwest by tomorrow. Gusts tomorrow will be up to 35 mph.

The accumulating ice may cause downed power lines and power outages.

The Office of Public Safety Support Services is monitoring the situation and will attend a weather conference call tomorrow, February 14, at 8 AM with the Maryland Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather Service. Further updates will be issued as necessary.

February 13, 2007

12 PM

20070213 Key West Coast Guard Boat


Key West Coast Guard Boat

February 13th, 2007

####

20070213 Good Morning Key West


20070213 South Carroll satellite government office closed due to weather

South Carroll satellite government office closed due to weather

Tuesday, February 13, 2007 9:29 AM

Subject: South Carroll satellite government office closed due to weather

You have been sent this e-mail alert from The Eldersburg Eagle.

South Carroll office will not open today

February 13, 2007 - Carroll County government has announced that tax collection and permit services will not be available today at the South County Government Center, which is located inside the Eldersburg Branch Library, because of inclement weather.

Residents can pay their tax and water bills or apply for permits at the County Office Building in Westminster instead. If the County Office Building should close early, a separate announcement will be made.

####