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Happy Wednesday, Westminster!
Here’s some of what you’ll find as you scroll through this newsletter, which now goes out to 1,104 people every Wednesday and Friday. Thanks to all of you for reading and spreading the word to others who want free local news.
Monday night, the Westminster council formally honored former Mayor Ken Yowan, who died Aug. 10, with a resolution recalling his push for civility at City Hall.
Carroll County Board of Education member Greg Malveaux, meanwhile, says his vote against the Family Life Advisory Committee's roster earlier this month was a mix-up, not his real position — he plans to reverse it when the board revisits the roster Sept. 9.
Maryland's health department declared a measles outbreak Monday across Carroll, St. Mary's and Cecil counties, with the state's 2026 case count now more than double the previous nine years combined, but said there's no evidence of widespread community transmission, and every case since July 15 has involved an unvaccinated resident.
There’s a Serpent Ridge wine tasting tonight at Brewery Fire Taphouse, this weekend's $2 fat quarter sale at Sew 'N Sweep, and how to track McDaniel and Carroll Community College's fall sports schedules, plus a bunch more. We also spoke with the owner of Himalaya, the new Nepali and Indian restaurant taking over the former China Inn space in College Square.
Let's get into it.
👀 Around Town
🍷 Serpent Ridge Vineyard and Brewery Fire Taphouse are teaming up for a wine tasting tonight, Wednesday, Aug. 26, at 5 p.m., at Brewery Fire Taphouse, 530 Jermor Ln. in Westminster. See the Facebook event listing.
🏐 Westminster's two colleges have fall sports underway, and both McDaniel College and Carroll Community College keep an online composite calendar listing every sport and every game, home and away — pick a sport, pick home or away, and the schedule pops up day by day, with an "Add to Calendar" option. Check out the calendars: McDaniel Green Terror | Carroll Lynx
🧵 Sew 'N Sweep is running a $2 Fat Quarter Sale, Saturday–Sunday, Aug. 29–30. Note: the shop's regular "buy 5, get the 6th free" fat quarter deal doesn't apply during the sale weekend. See details in their Facebook post.
🚀 Westminster Wire caught Tuesday morning's SpaceX Falcon 9 launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, as seen from Westminster. Watch the video.
🎉 Westminster After Dark, part of Westminster Fallfest weekend (Sept. 24–27), lights up Main Street Friday, Sept. 25, with live bands, shopping, strolling and late-night dining until 11 p.m. Downtown Westminster is putting together a map to help visitors navigate the evening. More on Fallfest.
🍁 Speaking of Westminster Fallfest, the event is recruiting artisans and crafters for the Artisan & Craft Vendor Show, part of Fallfest weekend (Sept. 24–27). Handmade decor, artwork, jewelry, specialty gifts and home goods are all fair game; applications are due Aug. 31. Apply here.
🏒 The Carroll Bears high school ice hockey team is recruiting for the season and is open to any actively registered Carroll County high school student. Interested players can email [email protected].
🖤 Shop Rebels, an alt-fashion and book shop carrying sizes S–5X, holds its grand opening at its new storefront, 37 E. Main St., this Saturday, Aug. 29, at 1 p.m., with fall mocktails, opening-day specials and giveaways. Check out Westminster Wire’s May article on the store.
🎥 Westminster Wire stopped by Saturday's Welcome Walk, when new McDaniel students paraded downtown with city and college leaders (Watch here) and caught some of the Westminster Municipal Band's End-of-Summer Concert at Belle Grove Square (Watch here).
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🗞️ In the News
🕊️ Council Honors Former Mayor Ken Yowan With Formal Resolution
The Westminster Mayor and Common Council unanimously adopted Resolution No. 26-14 on Monday, honoring former Mayor Ken Yowan, who died Aug. 10 in Port Orange, Florida, at 84. Yowan served as mayor from 1994 to 2001 after a four-decade career as a physicist at the Naval Research Laboratory and Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. Council members recalled his push for civility at City Hall: Councilman Thomas Beyard credited him with championing the Carroll Arts Center and downtown parking infrastructure, while Councilman Kevin Dayhoff remembered late-night calls pushing for creative solutions.
🗳️ School Board Member Says His Vote Against Family Life Committee Roster Was a Mix-Up, Will Reverse It in September
Carroll County Board of Education member Greg Malveaux says his Aug. 12 vote against the Family Life Advisory Committee's roster was a mistake, not his real position, and he'll vote the other way when the board revisits it Sept. 9. The roster failed 1-4, with Board President Steve Whisler the lone yes vote and Tara Battaglia, Kristen Zihmer and Patricia Dorsey voting no; the dispute centers on an at-large appointee Whisler selected outside the board's usual practice of pulling from applicants, though CCPS staff said that written guidelines are "silent on this scenario.” Even with Malveaux’s reversal, the roster would still need one more yes vote from Battaglia, Zihmer or Dorsey to pass.
🥟 Owner of Himalaya, a New Nepali and Indian Restaurant, Shares Details on the Soon-To-Open College Square Spot
Himalaya, a new Nepali and Indian restaurant, is aiming to open next month in the former China Inn space at 444 WMC Drive in the College Square shopping center, pending county inspection and the completion of remaining paperwork. Owner Samrat Khadka, who also owns Vinny's Pizza in the TownMall of Westminster food court and 7-Eleven locations in Westminster and New Windsor, is launching his first restaurant. The signature dish will be momo, Nepali dumplings that Khadka calls "a dish that everyone should try at least once." He chose Westminster because his other businesses are in Carroll County, and it's close to home.
🦠 Maryland Declares Measles Outbreak in Carroll and Two Other Counties
Maryland's Department of Health declared a measles outbreak Aug. 24 across Carroll, St. Mary's and Cecil counties, confirming 14 new cases, all among unvaccinated residents. The state's 2026 total is now 31 — more than double the 12 cases recorded from 2017–2025 combined. Officials say there's no evidence of widespread community transmission.
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— Westminster Wire