Gallery: The Great Pumpkin Run
Photos from Zach Tignall
He Almost Lost The Engagement Ring!
On Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium, Andrew Fox was ready to pop the question to his girlfriend Heather Terwilliger when something went wrong! He got down on one knee, opened the ring box, and the ring fell out. It was a tense five minutes but the ring was found–in the cuff of Heather’s pants.
This story does have a happy ending, she said yes! Watch the drama unfold in the video.
-Dianah Gibson
Join me for Kyle’s Crusaders on Sunday
My daughter Holly lost one of her best friends last year and we are going to be walking this Sunday to help conquer childhood cancer. You can click on this banner to find out more and sign up to walk with me.
They are still working on hitting their goal of $25,000!
ABOUT KYLE’S CRUSADERS
Kyle Addington, a vibrant, kindhearted, and fearless 16-year old was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemis (AML) in December 2014. Seven months in the hospital, chemotherapy, radiation, and a bone marrow transplant didn’t dampen his spirits or his resolve to beat the cancer that stole him from family, friends, and his life as a sophomore in high school. His cancer, however, could not be stopped and Kyle passed away in July 2015—less than a year after his diagnosis.
Heartbroken, yet determined to honor Kyle’s memory and his wish for finding a cure for cancer, we created Kyle’s Crusaders to raise much-needed funds for childhood cancer research.
HOW YOU CAN HELP US FULFILL KYLE’S WISH . . .
MAKE A TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION — Much of the funding for pediatric cancer research comes from private donations and fundraising by doctors and families who have been impacted by cancer. Less than 4% of annual federal government funding is allocated to childhood cancer research. 100% of your donation goes directly to Arms Wide Open Childhood Cancer Foundation and used to fund pediatric cancer research grants. With your help, in 2016 Kyle’s Crusaders was able to help fund two pediatric research grants. Any amount you can contribute is greatly appreciated and helps us move closer to our goal of finding more effective treatments that lead to a cure for all children fighting cancer.
JOIN OUR ANNUAL 2-MILE MEMORY WALK — Register now and join us October 2, 2016 as we Walk in memory of Kyle, all the children who are still fighting cancer, and those whose lives were cut short by these terrible diseases. Spread the word! If you cannot join us for the Walk, please consider making a donation to help us meet our fundraising goal.
BECOME A FUNDRAISER — Create your own personal fundraising page and ask friends and family to support you in meeting your individual goal. You can also create or join a Team. Click on Become a Fundraiser. Here’s how to get started and check out our fundraising tips for Individuals and Teams.
T-SHIRT FUNDRAISER — We will have a limited supply of shirts at the Walk for purchase. Thank you to all who participated in our t-shirt fundraiser! With your generosity, we raised a little over $1,400!!
VOLUNTEER — We have several volunteer positions available for our Annual Walk on October 2nd. Click on Volunteer.
Shockley Honda Pet of the Week – 09/27/16
Love Farmers-Especially This Wonderful Man!
This episode of Shark Tank was so moving. Farmers feed the world three times a day! Watch to the end and have Kleenex handy.
Christian Farmer Gets Laughed On ‘Shark Tank’, Then Leaves A Reply That Humbled All The Judges!
-Dianah Gibson
Ready For More Route 15 Headaches?
There is good news and some bad news. The good news, one day Monocacy Boulevard will be finished and help drives get from one end of Frederick to the other. The bad news, this week SHA is going to start putting the steel beams on the new bridge taking Monocacy Boulevard over Route 15. That means delays, congestion, and lots of brake lights! Are you ready for it.
Crews will close the highway for 10-minute intervals.
Frederick, Md. (KM) Beginning this week, the Maryland State Highway Administration is expected to install steel beams for the new bridge taking Monocacy Boulevard over Route 15. Spokesman Dave Buck says that will mean the closure of the median at Route 15 and Biggs Ford Road.
Detours will be set up. “In order to reach Biggs Road if you’re on Route 15 southbound, you’ll turn on to Devilbiss Bridge Road and then you’ll turn on to Dublin Road and that will get you back to where you need to go,” he says. “And then if you’re northbound on Route 15, you’ll make a u-turn up at Sundays Lane and then go southbound on Route 15 and get there that way.”
SHA says the crews will be reconstruct the deceleration and acceleration lanes at that intersection.
Buck says laying the steel beams for the new bridge for the interchange at Monocacy Boulevard will require Route 15 be closed for ten-minute intervals. He says the work will be done between 11:00 PM and 4:00 AM. “Those beams will be swung into place with some huge cranes. So if you’re out there in that area, be alert in the overnight hours,” he says.
That work is expected to be finished within two to three weeks, Buck says.
SHA says the $59-million project is expected to be completed sometime next year.
By Kevin McManus
Kids Day At The Fair-Will This Be The Last One For Local Schools?
For those of us who went to Frederick County Public Schools, we remember the excitement of ‘Fair Day’. A day students would be off from school and be able to go to the fair and learn about our agricultural community while hanging out with friends.
It was a chance to see classmates who had been absent from school for the week because they were busy showing their animals and representing their 4-H groups with pride.
But-what happens to ‘Fair Day’ now the Gov. Larry Hogan has signed an executive order stating that all schools in Maryland start after Labor Day. Some elected officials say this will give a boost to local economies while giving families more time to spend together.
Now school districts in Maryland are scrambling to figure out how to have students attend the mandatory 180 days of classes between Labor Day and June 15th while working in professional development days and holidays. There are also rumors circulating that ‘Fair Day’ may be removed from the Frederick County Public School calendar next year.
Some think ‘Fair Day’ should be eliminated, others disagree and believe its necessary for kids to learn the importance of agriculture in Frederick County. How food actually gets to their dinner table.
I graduated from Middletown High School and always loved going to the Great Frederick Fair on ‘Fair Day’. I hope this in not the last year local school children will be able to have this day off from school to learn how important their local farmers are to the community.
Today Katie, Tom, Dave, and I will be out at the 154th Great Frederick Fair for Kids Day. This is a day we all enjoy at the fair. Stop by and play corn hole with the WFRE crew. You may win a t-shirt while making memories at the fair that will last a life time!
-Dianah Gibson
Gallery: In the Street 2016
Photos from Zach Tignall
270 Commuters–What Would Help Your Ride?
For those that travel on 270 there may some help! This interstate has been jammed for years. it’s called the ‘big-ugly’ for a good reason!
Organization Launched To Push For I-270 Congestion Relief
Germantown, Md (KM) A new organization has been formed to push for relief of the traffic congestion along Interstate 270. Fix270Now, launched on Monday at the Milestone Business Park in Germantown, consists of representatives from Frederick and Montgomery Counties who want I-270 fixed.
“We’re going to working with state and local officials to get moving on a pair of project studies that have been tied in basically gridlock, just like the traffic, for years,” says Richard Parson, the Vice Chairman of the Suburban Maryland Transportation Alliance.
He says one study is the I-270/Rt. 15 Multi-Modal Study. It considered expanding Metro to Frederick, but that idea was dropped. “There wasn’t the transit alternative other than running express buses and new toll lanes, the only viable transit option to emerge,” says Parsons. “But that study also showed significant traffic relief if we move forward with express toll lanes like Virginia’s done. But that study was put hold in 2008.”
“And the idea is you can use the revenue from those toll collections and keep the existing lane free. But add new lanes that are going to be toll lanes that are going to pay for the construction of that new lane capacity. But also to pay for the running and acquisition of the bus rapid transit vehicle,” says Parsons.
The other study looked at the I-270 spur toward the Capitol Beltway, and recommended that additional lanes be added to that roadway.
Both studies call for widening I-270 which Parsons says has a lot of support. “There was poll done by Opinionworks throughout the DC Region, in Frederick County and Montgomery County in particular. And over 70% registered voters want to see I-270 widened,” he said.
The Fix270Now Coalition has picked Congressman John Delaney (D-Md) as its honorary chairman. “The terrible traffic conditions on I-270 are a daily dilemma and a nightly nightmare for Marylanders,” Delaney said in a statement. “The gridlock and endless congestion on I-270 is one of the biggest problems facing Maryland, impacting the quality of life and economic competitiveness of one our most critical job-creating regions. I’m proud to Chair the Fix270Now Coalition because we can’t wait any longer. We can’t accept minor fixes. We need big transformative improvements to I-270.”
“There’s a great interest across this region now in looking at innovative ways to solve congestion,” says Parsons. “And we think it’s high time Maryland starting catching up with Virginia because they’re way ahead of us.”
By Kevin McManus