The demolition of 16 W. Main St., the building destroyed by fire Nov. 17, got under way Monday morning.
Westminster City Police Cpl. Rick May said the demolition should take about two weeks and should not affect traffic on Main Street or Winters Alley.
The building housed Stem's Used Furniture and Heagy's Sport Shop.
Damage from the five-alarm blaze was estimated at $500,000.
The Flower Box, a florist shop at 14 W. Main St. that sustained water and smoke damage in the blaze, reopened over the weekend.
The storehad been operating out of a space in a competitor's shop because there was no electricity in the building.
Champs Restaurant, also in the first block of West Main Street, suffered some smoke and water damage but business was not interrupted.
ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO THE CARROLL COUNTY SUN -- GARO LACHINIAN
CAPTION: Wallace Hagan cleans debris from inside Heagy's in Westminster before the store was to be demolished Monday.
HOLIDAY PARKING FREE
DATELINE: WESTMINSTER
WESTMINSTER -- The mayor and Town Council decided Nov. 11to approve free parking in the city during the holiday shopping season.
Free parking begins Friday and ends Jan. 2, 1992. All parking meters in Westminster will be free during this period.
Citizens are invited to shop downtown.
TRASH TO BE PICKED UP
DATELINE: WESTMINSTER
WESTMINSTER -- Eastern Waste Industries Inc. will be collectingtrash according to its regular schedule this week.
BYRON WANTS TRAIL
DATELINE: WASHINGTON
WASHINGTON -- A bill by Representative Beverly B. Byron, D-6th, to have the American Discovery Trail studied for future designation as a National Scenic Trail got its first full hearing Nov. 18 before the Interior Committee's National Parks and PublicLands Subcommittee.
The 5,500-mile trail is the first such east-west trail crossing the United States. It passes through 12 states andthe District of Columbia, mostly on public lands, and uses existing trails wherever possible.
The trail begins at Point Reyes NationalSeashore north of San Francisco and finishes at Delaware's Cape Henlopen State Park west of Lewes. It intersects with the two major north-south trails -- the Pacific Crest Trail and the Appalachian Trail --creating a 40,000-mile trail network.
In Maryland, the ADT tracesthe entire route of the C&O; Canal.
"I am hopeful that this effort, along with my earlier 'Rails-to-Trails' legislation, will further the goal of making trails more accessible to the public," Byron said. "Moreover, I believe the American Discovery Trail will be a welcome addition to the north-south Appalachian Trail."
Four witnesses appeared before the subcommittee to testify on behalf of the bill, including Eric Seaborg, leader of the ADT Scouting Expedition and former president of the American Hiking Society, and Jennifer Seher of the National Parks and Conservation Association.
In July, ADT hikers Seaborg, Ellen Dudley and Bill Sprotte concluded a year-long scouting expedition of the proposed route and passed through Washington, where they were welcomed by President Bush in an Oval Office ceremony.
BYRON SUPPORTS BILL
DATELINE: WASHINGTON
WASHINGTON -- The Defense Authorization Act for 1992, which first passed the House last May and avoided a last-minute controversy by dropping a proposed $1 billion humanitarian aid package to the Soviet Union, passed the House Nov. 18 by a vote of 329-82.
Supporting the measure during the floor debate, Representative Beverly B. Byron, D-6th, chairman of the subcommittee on Military Personnel and Compensation, said the priority for the personnel issues contained in the $290.8 billion authorization was protecting people.
"It is important to keep in mind that the force reduction is not without a price," Byron said. "There is no magic formulafor reducing the size of today's high-quality all-volunteer force without adversely impacting both force readiness and the individual service members who had planned to make the military a career.
Provisions in the defense bill will give service members agreeing to voluntary separation the choice to either receive a fixed-term annuity or aone-time lump sum payment.
In other personnel provisions, Byron said Congress had approved the budget request to reduce end strength among active forces by 106,000 in 1992 and an additional 92,000 in 1993.
But for cuts in the selected reserves, Byron said the conference report could not accept the administration's request.
"We felt the cuts contained in the budget were too steep, and therefore smoothed out the glide path by prescribing a 3 percent, rather than a 9 percent reduction for 1992," she said. "A slower-paced reserve cut will also make sure that slots are available in reserve units for the largenumber of individuals who will be leaving active duty over the next few years.
"We need to ensure that we have ready access to that pool of highly trained and experienced manpower," she concluded.
Thedefense bill also repeals the combat exclusion for Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps women from flying combat aircraft.
"On the modern battlefield, the line between combat and combat support functions is blurred at best," Byron noted. "But I want to emphasize that the repeal of the combat exclusion would not mandate that women perform such missions."
DEC. 9 IS DEADLINE
Maryland voters have until 9 p.m. Dec. 9 to change their party affiliation for the 1992 presidential primary election.
After that date, no one is permitted to change from one party to another unless the voter changes his residence from one county to another when registration is open.
State law requires that the deadline for party affiliation changes be 12 weeks or 84 days prior to a primary election.
For information, contact the Carroll County Board of Supervisors of Elections at 225 N. Center St., Westminster, 857-2080, or the State Administrative Board of Election Laws at 1-800-222-VOTE.
POLLING PLACES CHANGE
The Supervisors of Elections announced a change of polling place for Election District 6, Manchester. The first and second precincts will move from Grace Bible Church to Manchester Elementary, 3224 York Street.
Due to renovations of Sandymount Elementary, all voters registered in the third precinctof Election District 4, Woolerys, will vote at Sandy Mount United Methodist Church, 2101 Old Westminster Pike, Finksburg.
Both changesare effective for the presidential primary and the 1992 general elections. Registered voters affected by these changes will be mailed newidentification cards.
The Election Board also reminds all registered voters that names and addresses must be kept current with their office. Failure to provide this information could result in the removal of their names from the eligibility list.
With the approach of the 1992 elections, it is important for voters to make sure that the information is up to date.
Information: 857-2080.
JOHNSON TALKS TO BOARD
DATELINE: WESTMINSTER
WESTMINSTER -- Darold Johnson, a public policy specialist with the Maryland Food Committee, discussed how to influence public policy making with the Department of Social Services board members at their monthly meeting yesterday.
Johnson's visit with the board came at an opportune time because the social services department will be looking to propose new legislation at the next session of the General Assembly.
Johnson the key to impacting new legislation is communication.
"Tell them what you want. If you give them a personal example, they tend to listen to the issue and are more aware of the legislation when it comes before the House," he said. "The key to making a difference is keeping contact with your legislators."
Johnson also stressed the importance of following legislation through the voting process.
"If you have a bill in both houses(Senate and House) make sure that you keep track of it," Johnson said. "For example, if it gets killed by the (House), you need to offer amendments so that the Senate isn't looking at the same exact piece of legislation."
In other business, chairperson Pat Dorsey reportedon her trip to the Maryland Association of Social Services Board's conference in Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, earlier this month.
Dorsey found the trip worthwhile and hoped that more board members would be able to attend next year.
RADIO SYSTEM EYED
A $6.2 million upgrade to the county's emergency radio network is necessary to ensurefire and ambulance services continue to run smoothly in the future, a committee studying the issue told the county commissioners Monday.
But the commissioners should not have been surprised by their findings: The committee has issued that recommendation for more than a year.
The upgrade under consideration would add eight new channels and would increase the speed and accuracy of radio communications.
The current system would, the committee said, become obsolete if Carroll continues to grow.
"There's no more room in the shoe," said J.Michael Evans, Department of General Services director. "We can't get to a point where calls have to wait to go through."
The upgradedsystem would be constructed so that current pagers and radios can still be used, said Jay R. Nave, administrative assistant of the Bureauof Roads Operations and head of the committee looking at the system.
The current system has been in use since the mid-1960s.
The upgrade would include using cellular technology, microwave-relay and would use eight new channels in the 800 megahertz range on the radio band.
DANCE HALL OK'D
DATELINE: MOUNT AIRY
MOUNT AIRY -- A one-time dance hall may once again see tapping feet, as the town Planning and Zoning Commission gave approval to a community group to use the building.
The Mount Airy Community Center Inc. on Monday gained initialapproval for a special zoning exception from the commission. The commission's approval must be approved by the Town Council.
The Community Center, which has been host to dances throughout the community and at schools, would use the 50-year-old building owned by Wildwood Park Inc. for its teen dances.
ARCHITECT HIRING APPROVED
DATELINE: SYKESVILLE
SYKESVILLE -- The Town Council gave Town Manager James L. Schumacher and Police Chief Wallace Mitchell approval Monday night tohire an architect to draw up preliminary plans for a new police facility.
Schumacher said the project would entail a sketch plan and cost estimate of renovating the old maintenance building as compared with the cost of a new building to house the town's five-member policeforce.
In other business:
* Mayor Lloyd R. Helt Jr. presented a number of issues to the council that need changing in the town's charter to bring it up to date.
He asked the council to review the charter and bring any other issues to him at the Dec. 9 meeting.
* Schumacher passed out a recycling report on the town's efforts duringthe past six months since the recycling center opened.
Despite the addition of 26 new homes and 10 more Dumpsters in the town, an estimated 23 percent of the town's garbage is being recycled, saving residents landfill tipping fees, fuel and labor costs.
* The council approved Jan. 27 as a tentative date for a transportation conference at Baldwin's Restaurant. Town officials want to meet with transportation specialists from around the state in an effort to develop a comprehensive plan for the Sykesville area.
The town's Planning and Zoning Commission has been studying the traffic issue for several months and wants to get started on a comprehensive study as soon as possible.
* Councilman William R. Hall Jr. presented a Parks and Recreation report that included a list of the committee's priorities for the town's parks for 1992.
OPERATOR POSITION OPEN
DATELINE: UNION BRIDGE
UNION BRIDGE -- The town has received 13 applications for the position of water/wastewater operator.
The applicants range from two civil engineers to four non-certified candidates, said Town Clerk Kathleen D. Kreimer at Monday's council meeting. The Town Council has not yet determined the salary for the position, which costs the town about $2,000 a month. Joe Kreimer, who currently operates the plant, wants to resign as soon as possible, said his wife, Kathleen. The Maryland Environmental Services, which helped write the job description, recommended the town interview all applicants.
"The salary we can afford to pay is going to be too low for most of these," said CouncilmanJeffrey Six.
Councilman Selby M. Black said the town could recoupsome of the salary by subcontracting the employee to New Windsor, whose operator also wants to resign.
Mayor Perry L. Jones Jr. said he would discuss the job with other towns that employ certified sewer operators. County Planner Steven C. Horn said the county has just hired a water/sewer planner, who also could help the town make a decision.
In other business, the council:
* Deferred action on a mechanical amusements ordinance until further review. Bruce Jones, owner of Ej's Restaurant, said the town ordinance would not allow establishments to open until 1 p.m. on Sundays. The county Liquor Board allows businesses to open at noon.
* Decided to review the county's mining plan before writing comments.
* Will schedule another public hearing on the annexation of the Phillips property. Developers have received an estimate of $65,000 to test, drill and construct a well on the site, south of town.
PRIORITY SOUGHT FOR SENIORS
DATELINE: WESTMINSTER
WESTMINSTER -- Care for "very frail" seniors must be made a priority in the event of further budget cuts to senior programs, the director of the Department of Citizen Services told the county commissioners yesterday.
Director Jolene Sullivan, who was joined by Bureau of Aging chief Jan Flora, said: "We feel that we need to start gearing up for what is inevitable. There have to be priorities, and thoseseniors who are our priority are the very frail."
Sullivan noted that there has been discussion at the state level to disband Maryland's Office on Aging, which would eliminate more than $400,000 that thecounty Bureau of Aging receives in state money.
If that money were no longer available, Sullivan said, personal care programs that help seniors remain at home and in the community would be harmed.
In essence, "there would be no more senior care," Sullivan said. "Home health-care agencies will see more cases, and the nursing homes will have an increase in applications.
"Our mission is to provide for seniors' independence, but there is only so much you can do with the dollars available," she said.
Sullivan commended volunteers in Carroll.
"In fiscal year 1991, the county received almost 425,000 hoursof volunteerism," Sullivan said. "If you multiply this by the minimum wage, you'll find that the county saved over $2 million. I think that says a lot for our county."
She said Carroll needs an additional 42,000 volunteer-hours to meet county goals for fiscal 1992.
"Considering the amount of volunteer support we have had coming on recently, making that goal will not be a problem," Sullivan said.