COUNTY
Connection
Carroll County Government
http://ccgovernment.carr.org
Volume 8
The Legend of
Stingy Jack
Every Halloween millions of poor,
unfortunate pumpkins ultimately
meet their demise at the hands of
families around the world. The tradition of carving faces into pumpkins has become one of the most
popular events of the fall season. Some faces can be scary, some
are funny, and others are downright grotesque. We call these
carvings Jack-O-Lanterns. But has anyone ever wondered where
this custom came from? Why do so many families carve pumpkins for the sole reason of esthetic enjoyment? To learn the answer to these questions, we must travel hundreds of years into the
past. Our story begins in Ireland, with a very stingy man named
Jack.
Jack sat down at a local pub and ordered himself a pint. He began to drink when suddenly the devil appeared beside him. The
devil motioned that it was time for him and Jack to go. Jack
convinced the devil to stay and have a drink with him while they
worked out another arrangement. The devil agreed and the two
began to converse. At the end of the second round, the devil
again motioned that it was time to leave. Jack appealed to the
devil that he had no coin to pay for their drinks, and therefore
could not leave. He asked the devil to transform into six pence so
that the two could pay their debt. The devil reluctantly agreed.
After he had transformed into the coin, Jack quickly grabbed the
coin and placed it next to a silver cross hidden within his pocket,
leaving the devil powerless. The devil, incredibly incensed by
this, demanded to be set free. Jack agreed on the condition that
the devil would not appear to him for the next year and if Jack
died within that time, the devil would not claim his soul. The
devil agreed, and Jack released him.
One year later, the Devil again appeared to Jack while he was
walking through a field. The devil claimed Jack’s time was up.
Jack had fallen ill during the years’ time and appeared close to
death. “Wait” Jack said, “Let me eat from that apple tree just one
more time. As you can tell my body is frail, and I cannot climb
the tree to reach the fruit.” The devil agreed to climb the tree and
Issue 6
pick an apple for Jack. While the devil climbed, Jack carved a
cross into the base of the tree. This cross trapped the devil in the
tree. The devil, irate as ever, demanded Jack to remove the cross
from the tree. Jack complied, but only after the devil agreed not
to bother him or in the event of his death, claim his soul for the
next ten years.
Soon thereafter, Jack passed away. His spirit traveled to gates of
heaven and asked for admission, only to be turned down by St.
Peter for his devious ways. Jack then sought out the devil, finally
ready for the devil to claim his soul. The devil, bound by his
agreement with Jack, could not allow him into Hell. He sent Jack
back to Earth with a coal from the fire of Hell to light Jack’s way.
Jack carved a hole into a turnip to house his eternally burning
coal and was helpless to wonder the Earth, looking for a place to
finally rest his soul.
Local townspeople began carving scary faces into turnips and
potatoes to ward off the spirit of Stingy Jack and other evil entities. These carving became known as Jack-O-Lanterns, paying
homage to the once stingy man, and would customarily be placed
on the front steps or windows of a home. The tradition took
place at the end of the fall harvest, which marked the beginning
of the Irish year. Locals believed the veils between the spirit and
living worlds were the closest at this time, leaving spirits free to
wander the Earth. The tradition was carried to North America by
Irish immigrants who would come to find that pumpkins and
gourds were a much better option when carving faces to ward off
evil spirits.
So the next time you carve a pumpkin, remember its true intention. Stingy Jack wanders this Earth with his coal ever glowing,
searching for relief from his torment. Never make deals with the
devil, or the devil you shall be.
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Commissioners’ Meeting Minutes
Please follow this link to read the minutes of the
Commissioner meetings:
http://ccgovernment.carr.org/ccg/commiss/votes/
CARROLL COUNTY
a great place to live, a great place to work, a great place to play!
Board and Commission Openings
The Board of County Commissioners is looking for
people who are interested in serving on the Planning
Commission.
The Carroll County Bureau of Aging & Disabilities is pleased to
announce the 8th annual Seniors on the Go expo. The showcase
will be taking place Wednesday, October 10th at the Carroll
County Agricultural Center in the Shipley Arena from 9 AM – 2
PM. Senior citizens and adults living with disabilities (age 18+)
are welcome to attend this FREE event! The event will house
over 100 senior and disability vendors, with demonstrations running all day.
In addition to the vendors, guests of the Seniors on the Go event
can expect to:
* Play Scrabble with the Commissioners of
Carroll County (Between 11 AM – 1 PM)
* Participate in FREE Health Screenings
* Listen to Speakers and/or Attend Seminars
* Receive Flu Vaccines for the Fall and Winter Seasons
* Enter to Win Various Door Prizes
* Be Served Lunch (Available Between 11:30 AM &
1 PM)
Transportation by the Carroll Area Transit System (CATS) will
be provided from four senior centers in the county: Mt. Airy, North
Carroll, South Carroll, and Taneytown. Please contact CATS at
(410) 876-RIDE (7433) or [email protected] for more specific
route information. A full program guide for the event can be
found in the Carroll County Times on Sunday, October 7th. For
more information about any of the specific events, demonstrations, or seminars being offered please visit the Carroll County
Government Bureau of Aging & Disabilities Expo Website.
The Seniors on the Go Expo has, in the past, been a vital key in
establishing and maintaining contact with both seniors and adults
living with disabilities in our community. The event promotes
good health, active lifestyles, and a forum for people to socialize
in an open atmosphere. Besides, who wouldn’t like to challenge
the Commissioners to a game of Scrabble? We encourage everyone to attend as it will surely be a fun-filled day for all involved.
Remember this event is completely FREE from beginning to end.
Hope to see you there!
Anyone interested in serving on this or any board
should complete the application available by following
this link:
http://ccgovernment.carr.org/ccg/commiss/boards/
applicat.pdf
and sending the completed application along with a
resume to:
Board of County Commissioners
Attn: Denise Hoover
225 N. Center Street, Room 300
Westminster, MD 21157
or by email to [email protected]
Wings of
Freedom
Tour
On Friday, October 12th the
Wings of Freedom Tour returns to Carroll County Regional Airport. Three World
War II era planes will fly into Westminster and stay all weekend
giving you and your family an opportunity to experience history
first hand.
A B-17 Flying Fortress will be here along with a B-24 and P-51.
Each of these planes was an integral part the United States and
our allies win against the Axis powers from 1941 to 1945.
The planes will be available for viewing on Friday, October 12
from 2 to 4 and Saturday and Sunday, October 13 & 14, from 9 to
4.
There will also be a World War II era dance at the airport on
Saturday night. More information and tickets will be available
on Friday and Saturday.
Come out and encounter a piece of history here in Carroll County.
MEETINGS: Unless noted otherwise, meetings will be held in the County Office Building at 225 North Center Street,
Westminster. All times are subject to change. Check the County’s website or call 410-836-2400 as the date approaches to
confirm date and time of the meeting.
Please follow this link to see all upcoming meetings.
http://ccgovernment.carr.org/ccg/commiss/calendar/Calendar.pdf
October Calendar of Events
Fall Harvest Days
October 20 & 21 – 10 am – 5 pm
Traditional autumn happenings may include apple butter making, farm machinery demonstrations, tractor and mule pulled
wagon rides, scarecrow making, and children’s games. Country
food and crafts for sale and on-stage entertainment. Carroll County
Farm Museum.
FALL FISHING TOURNAMENT
Saturday, October 13, 2012 at Piney Run Park
6:00 am – 12:00 Noon (gates open at 5:30 am)
PRIZES TO BE AWARDED
Largemouth Bass: 1st prize: $200, 2nd prize: $100,
3rd prize: $50
Striped Bass: 1st prize: $200, 2nd prize: $100, 3rd prize: $50
Catfish: 1st prize: $200, 2nd prize: $100, 3rd prize: $50
PLUS: TROPHY awarded for largest fish (any species)
of the day.
There will be coffee, hot chocolate, hot dogs, pastries, and other
concessions for sale at the boathouse.
Carroll County Sports Complex –
October Tournaments
USSSA Atlantic Coast Mixed Championship
October 6 & 7
ISA Super Draft, benefitting the Johns Hopkins
Children Center
October 13 & 14
Maryland Stars oKtoberFAST Girls’ Fastpitch
October 20 & 21
NSA Fall Finale
October 27 & 28
Bus Trips
WESTERN MARYLAND SCENIC RAILROAD
October 13 1 session Saturday
Mountain Thunder! This restored early 20th century train steams
on a 32-mile round trip through the mountains between
Cumberland and Frostburg. Enjoy three centuries of transportation history, scenic excursions and first class seating in the dining car. After you have registered, you will be contacted for your
menu selection. Bus leaves at 8:30am, train ride is from 11:30–
3pm. Depart from the Carroll County Office building, 225 N.
Center Street, Westminster
TIME: 8:30am–approx. 5:30pm FEE: $95 adults
$72 children (age 12 & under)
WICKED at the Hippodrome
October 28 1 session Sunday
Program #12BT12
WICKED is on tour and hits the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore! Recreation & Parks has been traveling to New York City
for years for this experience...now is your opportunity to see it
right here in Baltimore! Immediately after the show, board your
waiting motor coach right outside to get you back home.
Included: lunch at the world famous Sabatino’s Restaurant in Little
Italy before the show (choice of entrees), 6:30 orchestra seating
at the theatre, roundtrip motor coach transportation and driver’s
gratuity.
Depart from the Carroll County Office building, 225 N. Center
Street, Westminster
TIME: 2:30–10pm FEE: $149
Farm Museum Classes
CHAIR CANING
Oct 16-Oct 18 9 am – 3 pm Tues-Thursday
Learn the process of individually weaving cane in and out of the
holes of the chair seat and will take home a completed chair.
NEEDLE FELTED PUMPKIN
October 23 9 am – 12 noon
Learn the art of 3-dimensional hand needle felting using raw wool
and a felting needle. Create pumpkins and a pumpkin pin for the
season!
BAND BOXES
October 23 10 am – 3 pm
Students will complete a traditional oval band box approximately
5” x 3-1/2” x 3-1/3” sewn from cardstock construction. It will be
lined and wallpapered.
Bear Branch Nature Center Programs
GOT ANY SENSE?
October 6 1-2 pm
Meet some of our critter friends and find out how they use their
five senses by taking a ‘Five Senses’ walk to explore the park.
Age: all.
October Events cont.
CRICKET CAMPOUT
Oct 13-Oct 14 5:30 pm Saturday- 8:30 am Sunday
Spend a night camping out under the stars with your family! Set
up camp, build a campfire, and then enjoy hotdogs, s’mores, and
a wagon ride!
RAPTOR PHOTO SHOOT
October 20 9 – 11 am
If you’re an experienced photographer or just getting started, join
us for a photo session with our resident raptors. Capture these
majestic birds in natural surroundings.
WILD NIGHT OUT
October 27 7-8:30 pm
Hashawha is a wild place to hang out at night. Join a naturalist
and explore the park after hours. Look for wild animals and learn
more about how animals survive at night.
Piney Run Nature Center Programs
FALL FUN CAMPFIRE
October 6 6-7:30 pm
Spend a fabulous fall evening outdoors breathing in the cool crisp
air sitting under the colorful canopy of trees and twinkling panorama of stars. While cozying up to the warm fire, we will enjoy
campfire stories. A cook out style dinner of hamburgers, hotdogs,
and more will be served.
ARE YOU A POET AND KNOW IT?
October 18 4:30-5:30 pm
Hike along the scenic trails of Piney Run Park. Along the way we
will write in a journal to keep a log of your thoughts. When we
get back, we will use what you wrote in your journal to make
imagery poems!
PAPER MASTER
October 20 1-2 pm
Extra, Extra, read all about it – but first design it! Make and design your own paper. Using Nature’s greens, seeds and twigs, we
will infuse the offerings of nature into our homemade paper.
PRETTY COOL PUMPKIN CARVING
October 21 1-2 pm
Halloween is just around the corner - come carve some pretty
cool pumpkins with your friends! Nothing says happy Halloween
like a scary Jack-O-Lantern carved just the way you like it. Pumpkins provided.
SPOOKTACULAR HALLOWEEN
October 27 10:30 am – 12 noon
Come dressed in your coolest, scariest or funniest costume. Festive snacks, crafts and a Halloween hike to search for spooky
spiders and their webs will certainly put you in the Halloween
spirit!
One Man’s Trash is
Another’s Treasure
Recycling in Carroll County
Did you know that the average American uses about
650 pounds of paper each year? Or were you aware that Americans go through about 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour? The
fact is that almost 80% of what we throw away is actually recyclable, but our national recycling average stands at just under
30%. Carroll County did a little better than the national average
with a recycling rate of 46.17% in 2010. The county currently
engages in many different educational strategies to explain what
items are recyclable and how recycling benefits everyone.
In order to develop a long-range plan that includes solid waste
management strategies capable of reducing the county’s waste
stream, Commissioner Doug Howard formed the Solid Waste
Workgroup in March 2012. The Workgroup is made up of local
waste haulers, members of the educational and farming community and concerned citizens. By listening to experts and professionals in the field and working closely with county staff, the
Workgroup has been able to develop a draft plan that will be presented to the Board of Commissioners later this month.
The Solid Waste Workgroup believes that further enhancing the
county’s educational efforts through traditional and non-traditional
outreach methods will increase the county’s recycling rate. The
Workgroup will suggest doing simple things such as offering larger
recycling containers and more complex things such as commercial composting and construction debris recycling to improve the
county’s recycling rate.
The Solid Waste Workgroup will be presenting their ideas to the
Commissioners later this month and hope to have a formalized
plan ready to begin sometime next year. This is certainly an exciting development for the residents of Carroll County, as we can
continue to protect our environment and make the county a better
place for the next generation.
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Contact Your Commissioners
District 5: Doug Howard, President, [email protected]
District 4: Richard Rothschild, Vice President,
[email protected]
District 3: Dave Roush, [email protected], Secretary
District 2: Haven Shoemaker, [email protected]
District 1: Robin Frazier, [email protected]