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Happy Wednesday, Westminster!
The six candidates for the Carroll County Board of Education met at last week's League of Women Voters forum, and two groups emerged. With early voting starting Thursday, Oct. 22, we break down where they agree and where they split. Carroll Community College also opens its new center for welding, automotive technology, electrical and plumbing training on Airport Drive on Monday.
There's plenty to do this weekend, too. CCPS kids are out of school Friday, Pleasant Valley's fire company holds its all-you-can-eat crab feed Saturday, and Food Truck Sunday Funday takes over the Farm Museum on Sunday.
Let's get into it.
Board of Education race takes shape as candidates debate Blueprint, laptops and how the board listens
Six candidates are running for three seats on the Carroll County Board of Education, and at the Oct. 7 League of Women Voters forum, two groups came into focus: former board president Marsha Herbert, who asked voters to also back Cleveland Friday and Shannon Hinkhaus, and Democrat Lisa Maisano and Republican Julie Walsh, who are running together. Sharon Wilhide is running with neither group. The candidates split on the state's Blueprint education law, whether younger students should keep school-issued laptops and how the board picks members of its advisory committees, but none of them defended the current board's decision to end Outdoor School overnights. Early voting starts Thursday, Oct. 22, and you can still register in person during early voting or on Election Day. The story has each candidate's background, where they stand and how to watch the full forum.
Carroll Community College to open Ratcliffe Applied Technology and Trades Center on Monday
Carroll Community College cuts the ribbon Monday, Oct. 19, at 3 p.m. on its new Ratcliffe Applied Technology and Trades Center, a 10,000-square-foot training space at 110 Airport Drive in Westminster with labs for welding, automotive technology, electrical work and plumbing. The college says the extra room should shorten its waitlists in automotive technology and welding. The center is a temporary "bridge facility" about 6 miles from the main campus, and it isn't where the college first said it would go. The story has how the center is being paid for, what students can get for free and who's speaking at Monday’s event.
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👀 Around Town
🍺 Westminster Wire spent Tuesday brewing with Brewery Fire on something you'll be able to enjoy at its Westminster taphouse in the not-too-distant future. Here’s a teaser YouTube Shorts video and some photos.
🎮 No school Friday, Oct. 16, and Players Fun Zone, 519 Old Westminster Pike, has School's Out specials from noon to 5 p.m. Three hours is $40 online ($45 at the door) and covers laser tag, bumper cars, inflatables, 18 holes of Glo-Golf and three games of pixel or batting rounds. Two hours is $33 online ($36 at the door) for laser tag, bumper cars and inflatables, and 1.5 hours is $28 online ($30 at the door) for bumper cars and inflatables. If you'd rather head out to the country, Local Homestead Products, 2425 Marston Road in New Windsor, is hosting a Kids Fall Festival Day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with inflatables, pick-your-own pumpkins, a corn maze and food trucks.
🍔 Food Truck Sunday Funday is Sunday, Oct. 18, noon–5 p.m. at the Carroll County Farm Museum, 500 S. Center St. The museum bills it as the county's largest food truck event, with more than 20 trucks, live music from Down the Rabbit Hole and Anchor Management, craft vendors, kids' activities, artisan demonstrations and farmhouse tours. You can vote for your favorite truck, and admission and parking are free. Event details.
🦀 Pleasant Valley Community Fire Company's all-you-can-eat crab feed is Saturday, Oct. 17, from 2 to 6 p.m. (doors open at 1) at 2030 Pleasant Valley Road. Adults are $65 in advance and $70 at the door, children 6–12 are $20, and kids 5 and under eat free. The menu includes steamed crabs, fried chicken, Maryland crab soup, sides, beer and soda. Event details.
📚 Books, music and history, all free or close to it: author Wade Rouse (also known as Viola Shipman) talks about his novel The Bluff on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 3 p.m. at Exploration Commons, 50 E. Main St. (registration required). McDaniel College faculty play flute, piano and cello works by Bach, Rocherolle and Haydn on Monday, Oct. 19, at 7 p.m. for Monday Night Music at 2 College Hill. The Historical Society of Carroll County hosts a Box Lunch Talk, "The Greek Families of Westminster," on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at noon at 210 E. Main St. It's $3 for members and $5 for nonmembers, no registration, and you bring your own lunch.
🧘 A new yoga studio, Lotus on Main, opens Monday, Oct. 19, at 221 E. Main St., according to a post from the city. The studio offers yoga, guided meditation and wellness workshops, and the class schedule is on its website.
🕊️ The Marriage & Relationship Education Center hosts “Grieving with Hope: A Community Round Table” on Thursday, Oct. 22, from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Carroll Nonprofit Center, 255 Clifton Blvd. A clinical social worker, a retired Westminster Baptist Church associate pastor who leads GriefShare groups, and a member of Braver Angels will talk about getting through grief and supporting others through loss. It’s free and lunch is included. Doors open at 11:45 a.m., and you must register by Monday, Oct. 19. Details and registration.
🎃 Three ways to trick-or-treat in Westminster: the city's Spooky Saturday is Saturday, Oct. 24, 3–6 p.m. at Wakefield Valley Park, 1000 Fenby Farm Road (a new location this year), with trick-or-treating, crafts, games, roving entertainers and refreshments. The Ag Center's Trunk or Treat is Sunday, Oct. 25, 2–4 p.m. at the Corn Maze, and kids 15 and younger in costume get $2 off the maze. The Farm Museum's Trick or Treat & Evening Lantern Walks is Tuesday, Oct. 27: trick-or-treating for kids 12 and under runs 5:30–7:30 p.m., and an adults-only lantern walk starts at 8 p.m. (pre-registration required for the lantern walk at 410-386-3880). Admission is $5 per car or family. There’s also still plenty happening at the TownMall for Halloween this month.
🎸 Save the date: A Tribute to Jimmy Buffett in Stories and Song is Saturday, Nov. 7, at 7:30 p.m. at the Carroll Arts Center, 91 W. Main St. Tickets are $30, and the show is presented by Key West Productions. Tickets and details.
🗳️ Missed Tuesday night's State House of Delegates District 5 candidates forum? You can watch the full replay. Republicans April Rose, Chris Tomlinson and Steve Whisler and Democrats Dayana Bergman and Alison Rudolph took part. Watch the replay.
💼 Carroll County Government is holding an Employment Expo on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 5–7 p.m. at the Carroll County Ag Center, 706 Agriculture Drive. Stop by to talk with county staff, explore career paths and learn about benefits. Event listing.
🍗 Google might say the new Wingstop at 140 Village Shopping Center is open, but it isn't yet, and there are hard hats visible through the window to prove it. In the meantime, the Westminster Wing Walk Map has the local, non-chain wing spots readers have recommended. See the map.
🏪 We also learned that the Belk Outlet in the mall is closing; a prime location on Westminster’s Main Street is about to become available; and the plywood is gone from the window at the Jiffy Mart/Subway location on Main Street.
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— Westminster Wire