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Hello, Westminster! How’s your week been?
The Carroll County school board set out to cover pre-K results and America 250 lessons on Wednesday, but the public comment portion of the meeting turned into a referendum on Outdoor School, board-related communication, and district spending.
On the health front, the Maryland Department of Health is warning that anyone in the Carroll Hospital ER waiting room the afternoon of Monday, July 13, may have been exposed to measles.
And there's plenty to get out for this Saturday: two farmers markets (with police vehicles downtown and peak-summer produce at the Ag Center), Camelot West's Touch-A-Truck, and the library's fourth annual K-Pop Party with a drop-in boba bar.
Before you head out the door to any of the events below, check their websites and social media pages first. Because of poor air quality from the Canadian wildfires, some events and facilities have announced closures and schedule changes in recent days. As of publication, all the events below appear to still be on.
Let’s get into it.
The News
🏫 Outdoor School Dominates School Board Meeting
The Carroll County Board of Education spent its July 15 meeting reviewing early-learning results and celebrating 250th-anniversary lessons, but the public comment portion of the meeting was consumed by residents challenging the board over its decision to end overnight Outdoor School and how it communicates and spends public money. Speakers disputed the board's account of overnight staffing and safety at the Hashawha site, questioned outside legal spending, and pressed for more transparency.
In related news: Westminster Wire’s article about a just-retired teacher’s dispute with the board's account of Outdoor School was mentioned this week in Chris Roemer’s Carroll County Times column.
🏥 State Warns of Measles Exposure in Carroll Hospital ER Waiting Room
Anyone in the emergency department waiting room at Carroll Hospital on Monday, July 13, between 2 and 5 p.m., may have been exposed to measles, the Maryland Department of Health said. The warning stems from five confirmed cases in Central Maryland residents who recently traveled together to a U.S. location with an active outbreak — one of those five visited Carroll Hospital on July 13. In a statement, Sharon Boston, director of public relations for LifeBridge Health, which owns the hospital, said, "Upon recognition of a possible measles case, Carroll Hospital staff acted quickly to take precautions to reduce any potential further exposure."
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Around Town
🥕 Farmers’ Markets Saturday — Police Day and Best of Summer
Two markets run on Saturday morning. The Downtown Westminster Farmers' Market at the Conway Lot, 27 Railroad Ave., holds Police Day, 8 a.m.–12 p.m., with city police and sheriff's vehicles for kids to explore (leashed dogs welcome). The Carroll County Farmers Market at the Ag Center, 706 Agriculture Center Dr., features its Best of Summer, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. — peak sweet corn, cantaloupe, tomatoes, and peaches. Free parking and admission at both.
🚒 Touch-A-Truck at Winters Mill — Saturday
Camelot West Family Services holds its free annual Touch-A-Truck this Saturday, July 18, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. at Winters Mill High School. Kids can climb aboard the trucks and meet first responders and community helpers, with vendors and food trucks on site. Free and open to the public.
🧋 K-Pop Party: Boba Tea Creations at Exploration Commons — Saturday
Exploration Commons at 50 East Main St. hosts its fourth annual K-Pop Party: Boba Tea Creations this Saturday, July 18, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. (ages 8+). A drop-in bubble tea bar is open all day, alongside games, crafts, music, Korean snacks, and prizes. Wear your favorite K-pop outfit and bring photo cards to trade; goodie bags while supplies last.
🎷 Free Sunday Concert: The JoGo Project at Dutterer Park
The city's Summer Sunday Concert Series lands at Dutterer Park this Sunday, July 19, 6–8 p.m., with The JoGo Project, a WAMMIE Award-winning Go-Go/funk/jazz fusion band from D.C. that's played at the Kennedy Center and the DC Jazz Festival. It's free, with a food truck and snowball truck on-site — bring a chair or blanket. The series wraps July 26 at Wakefield Valley Park.
🎬 Bargain Movies Next Week: The Bad Guys 2 and Space Jam
Two bargain deals continue next week. RC Theatres at the TownMall (400 North Center St.) screens The Bad Guys 2 for $1 on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 21 & 22 at 10 a.m. The Carroll Arts Center (91 West Main St.) shows Space Jam free at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 21, with concessions and lobby activities. Both summer series run through early August, with different movies each week.
🎨 Playground Pop-Up: Crafts & Popsicles — Thursday
The city's free Playground Pop-Up: Crafts & Popsicles series continues, filling the gap left by this summer's canceled Bumper Boats. The next stop is the Charles Street Tot Lot on Thursday, July 23, from 1–3 p.m., with crafts and popsicles for families with young kids. It's free and open to the public. One more date follows: July 30 at Tahoma Farm Park, 10 a.m.–12 p.m.
And don’t forget free snowballs every Wednesday in July downtown at Locust Lane.
That's the wrap. Know something we should cover? Submit news here, and follow Westminster Wire on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for updates between editions.
— The Westminster Wire