Currently viewing the tag: "University of Maryland"

Michael Betteridge

I was standing at courtside in the Xfinity Center on Thursday, March 10, 2021, on the campus of the University of Maryland with tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat as I watched senior Emily Wivell in the middle of the court with a stunned look of utter disappointment on her face as the loss of the championship began to sink in. The Lady Cougars basketball team’s fourth quarter meltdown had resulted in the loss of the State Girls 1A Basketball Championship to Pikesville.

Just a year earlier, as I was preparing to broadcast our Catoctin boys basketball quarterfinal playoff at Lake Clifton, I found out my co-broadcaster had a family emergency, and I was left alone at courtside wondering what to do. The Lady Cougars basketball team had just arrived at this Baltimore City gym, and I spotted Emily Wivell and motioned her over to my table. I asked Emily to help me broadcast the game, figuring like most high school girls, she would be afraid and say no, but she smiled and said: “Sure!” She was amazing! She was a Lady Cougar through and through. She was confident, funny, and witty, and really enjoyed helping the fans understand the game and supporting her Catoctin boys team. She was a real team player and a joy to have on the radio with me.

The first thing I saw, as the buzzer sounded to end the Lady Cougar’s 2021 season, a year later, was the look on Emily’s face. It broke my heart, especially when I saw her and Emily Williams hugging Coach Amy and crying. I almost lost it right there!

But, there was an important lesson learned that day, and it seems to have taken its hold on several Lady Cougars who carry that legacy forward. No more so than the tough, gritty, athletic Taylor Smith, who was all over the court that day, recording five steals and a team high 19 points. Taylor was only a freshman. And, who wouldn’t remember the roar of the crowd when little freshman JV call-up Kayden Glotfelty came into the game and knocked down a sizzling three-pointer that stunned Pikesville to take the lead at the half.

Now those battle-tested freshmen are leaders on this 2022 team, and they are only sophomores. There are no senior starters on this team. This team is fast, relentless, and plays disciplined defense. They thrive on the turnover, and their speed leaves opponents confused and in disarray.

This is a fun basketball team to watch. Undefeated heading into the Christmas break, they have faced stiff competition at Oakdale and Middletown and never looked back. They are sitting atop first place in the CMC with a nice-looking schedule heading into January, and no real stiff competition until they face Linganore in late January…and did I mention they are young?

With a freshman, three sophomores, four juniors, and only two seniors, that’s a 10.7 average grade level for the team. Nine out of the ten players on this team were there for the 2021 State Championship last March. That is the very definition of playoff experience. One new freshman player reminds us of Taylor Smith last year: Brooke Williams is the youngest, tallest girl on the team, and the freshman plays tenacious defense.

Take some time this month to come out and support the Lady Cougars basketball team. If I was so emotionally changed by what I saw in College Park last March, imagine how nine of the girls on this team feel about their 2022 season, and how you will feel when you see them play.

The Environmental Finance Center at the University of Maryland announced that Thurmont was one of 17 Maryland municipalities honored at the Sustainable Maryland Awards Ceremony at the Maryland Municipal League’s annual Fall Conference in October. The Town received Bronze-level certification.

“I am very proud that the Town of Thurmont has been recertified again as a Sustainable Maryland Certified community,” said Mayor John Kinnaird.  “The Board of Commissioners and I are very grateful for the exceptional results that have been achieved over the past nine years. The tireless efforts of the Thurmont Green Team, Town of Thurmont staff, and our dedicated community volunteers have been nothing less than extraordinary. Great work by everyone!”

According to Mike Hunninghake, director of the Sustainable Maryland program, “We are pleased to be awarding a record number of certifications this year. These certifications show a commitment to sustainability by Maryland’s municipalities that is truly impressive in both depth and breadth. The commitments and associated actions are a critical investment for a future where local governments will increasingly be at the forefront in the fight against climate change. Sustainable Maryland stands ready to support and celebrate these communities, elected officials, and Green Teams.”

For detailed information about Thurmont’s sustainability initiatives, please contact Chief Administrative Officer Jim Humerick at jhumerick@thurmontstaff.com or 301-271-7313, ext. 204

Pictured from left are Chief Administrative Officer Jim Humerick, Green Team Coordinator Cindy Poole, Human Resources Manager Diana Mehaffie, and Mayor John Kinnaird with the Sustainable Maryland Certified award at the Maryland Municipal League conference.

(from left) Mayor Donald Briggs and Town Clerk Madeline Shaw with the Sustainable Maryland Certified Award at the Maryland Municipal League conference.

Courtesy Photo

The Environmental Finance Center at the University of Maryland announced that the Town of Emmitsburg was one of twelve Maryland municipalities honored at the Sustainable Maryland Awards Ceremony at the Maryland Municipal League’s Annual Fall Conference on October 12, 2021. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Sustainable Maryland program.

Highlights of Emmitsburg’s accomplishments include:

The Town of Emmitsburg has two solar fields that generate approximately 250,000 kWh/month. This clean, renewable energy powers 19 of the town’s largest electrical accounts, as well as the local fire department and the town’s Waste Water Treatment Plant. Overall, the town’s electricity use is now supplied by well over 95 percent renewable energy.

Debuted an all-inclusive playground to promote health and wellness in the community.

Installed public electric vehicle charging stations to support citizens and visitors with electric vehicles.

“Earning the Sustainable Maryland recertification is a very special honor,” said Mayor Donald Briggs. “The accomplishment recognizes the many hours of collaborative hard work and dedication by the Emmitsburg town staff, Green Team, and the community. We will pass on to both the many new families moving here, and future generations, that Emmitsburg, nestled along the Catoctin Mountains, will always be special.”

According to Mike Hunninghake, program manager for Sustainable Maryland, “During the first 10 years of the Sustainable Maryland program, if we have learned anything, it’s that reducing our footprint on where we live, be it a town, a county, a state, or the planet, is vital to our continuation as a species. The work being done at the local level forms a foundation, by example and by action, for upward pressure on governments at all levels to take action to make our communities greener, cleaner, and more resilient.”

For detailed information about Emmitsburg’s sustainability initiatives, please contact Town Clerk Madeline Shaw at mshaw@emmitsburgmd.gov or 301-600-6302.

Sustainable Maryland is an initiative of the Environmental Finance Center at the University of Maryland that is designed to support Maryland’s 157 municipalities as they look for cost-effective and strategic ways to protect their natural assets and revitalize their communities.

The Environmental Finance Center at the University of Maryland announced that the Town of Thurmont was one of 17 Maryland municipalities honored at the Sustainable Maryland Awards Ceremony at the Maryland Municipal League’s annual Fall Conference in October in Cambridge, Maryland.

“The Town of Thurmont is extremely proud to once again obtain this touted recognition and certification,” said Mayor John Kinnaird. “Our staff and our Green Team have worked tirelessly to educate our citizens about sustainability, and the results are very indicative of how important these efforts are to our community. I sincerely appreciate everyone’s hard work and dedication.”

For detailed information about Thurmont’s sustainability initiatives, please contact Chief Administrative Officer Jim Humerick at 301-271-7313 or JHumerick@thurmontstaff.com.

(from left) Mayor John Kinnaird and Chief Administrative Officer Jim Humerick are shown with the Sustainable Maryland Certified award at the Maryland Municipal League conference.

The Environmental Finance Center at the University of Maryland announced that the Town of Emmitsburg was one of eight Maryland municipalities honored at the Sustainable Maryland Awards Ceremony at the Maryland Municipal League’s annual Fall Conference in Annapolis, Maryland, in October. Emmitsburg received its first Sustainable Maryland certification in 2015.

Highlights of Emmitsburg’s accomplishments include:

  • The Town has two solar fields that generate approximately 250,000
    kilowatts/month. The Town’s electrical use in municipally-owned
    buildings is now supplied by over 95 percent renewable energy.
  • The Mayor and Board of Commissioners approved the Town of
    Emmitsburg’s Sustainable Procurement Policy for use by the Town staff.
    The policy requests town staff use sustainable purchasing practices
    when choosing vendors and supplies for the Town.
  • Approximately 15 miles of natural surfaced multi-user trails for
    mountain bikers, hikers, bird watchers, and trail runners have been
    created as part of a stacked loop network in the Emmitsburg
    Watershed.

“We are honored to receive our second consecutive Sustainable Maryland Certified award,” said Emmitsburg Mayor Donald Briggs. “Our green team worked very hard for the award and is very much looking forward to the challenges of receiving the award for a third time.”

According to Mike Hunninghake, Program Manager for Sustainable Maryland, “This year’s class of Sustainable Maryland Certified communities represents significant continued progress on sustainability issues, in small towns and large cities, from all across the state. The Green Teams, elected officials, and municipal staff that have accomplished so much provide both inspiration and real-world examples for their peers to follow.”

For detailed information about Emmitsburg’s sustainability initiatives, please contact Town Clerk Maddie Shaw at MShaw@emmitsburgmd.gov or 301-600-6302.

Emmitsburg Town Manager Cathy Willets holds the Sustainable Maryland Certified Award at the Maryland Municipal League Conference.

 

 

 

The Environmental Finance Center at the University of Maryland announced that the Town of Thurmont was one of fourteen Maryland municipalities honored at the Sustainable Maryland Awards Ceremony at the Maryland Municipal League’s annual Fall Conference on October 17, 2016, in Solomons, Maryland.

Highlights of Thurmont’s accomplishments include:

  • Adopted a Sustainable Procurement Policy in 2016 that ensures that town staff considers sustainability when purchasing products and/or services to be utilized within the town’s operations.
  • Began an LED street light retrofit program in 2015, which has thus far installed 62 new downtown LED street lights and 30 new subdivision LED street lights.
  • Hosted a Farmers Market since 2005.
  • Promotes “Thurmont Business Bucks” as part of a “Buy Local” campaign. This program allows residents to purchase “coupons” that can be used at any participating business in town, keeping more money circulating locally.
  • An average of 320 households made up of over 1,300 individuals receive food each month from the Thurmont Food Bank.
  • Established a Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) Ordinance, which details specific characteristics that must be met including building design, street alignments and design, and architectural details.

“I am very proud of the joint resident and municipal effort that has resulted in Thurmont being recognized as a Sustainable Maryland Certified municipality,” said Thurmont Mayor John Kinnaird. “I specifically want to thank the Thurmont Green Team for their tireless investment of time, energy and leadership in this worthwhile endeavor.  The projects and initiatives implemented by the Thurmont Green Team has set our town on a course of environmental awareness, renewed our sense of community and most importantly will help insure a healthier and economically viable future for Thurmont’s residents.”

“Every year, the Environmental Finance Center is proud to welcome more municipalities to the Sustainable Maryland community,” said Dan Nees, director of the Environmental Finance Center. “The incredible growth of this program demonstrates that so many communities across the state are dedicated to healthier, more sustainable futures. The shared commitment of local elected officials, municipal staff and Green Team volunteers in these diverse towns and cities are a testament to Maryland’s vision of resilience.”

thurmont-sm-awards-photo-20

(from left) Chief Administrative Officer Jim Humerick, Green Team Assistant Leader Cindy Poole, and Mayor John Kinnaird are shown with the Sustainable Maryland Certified award at the Maryland Municipal League Conference in October.

Deb Spalding

MEREDITH2Young Betty Jean Hixen was raised in a family of Polish and Irish descent, who were coal miners in Jordan, West Virginia. Just three miles away, her future husband, William (Bill) Meredith, lived with his family of Welsh and Irish ancestry. They were farmers. The two were destined to love, and met when she was a freshman and he was a senior, on the school bus ride to East Fairmont High School.

Betty joked, “He said it was love at first sight!” Bill parried, “It was very sneaky, if it was.” She invited him to her 14th birthday party, to which he brought her a gift of Whitman’s Samplers candy. They liked each other and started dating that spring. Bill was scheduled to attend college at Fairmont State, located in the same town, so they continued to see each other.

Bill had a pony colt that he sold to get money to buy a ring, and he proposed to her at Christmas, 1954. He doesn’t think she was surprised. They married at their local Presbyterian Church, amid 100 degree heat on August 20, 1955, after Bill had completed his final year at Fairmont State. Betty started Business college that fall.

Graduating with a degree in Biology Education from Fairmont State College, Bill thought he would, “…get a job as a high school teacher and that would be that.” But that spring, a new professor at Fairmont recommended that Bill go to graduate school at West Virginia University (WVU) for free to serve an assistantship there.

The newly married couple moved to an apartment near WVU, where Bill received a stipend of $750 per year. Betty joked, “We went to the 10 cent Saturday Matinee for entertainment. The question was whether we could afford another 10 cents for pizza after the movie.”

While at West Virginia University, their first child arrived—a girl they named Melinda. Soon after, the assistantship came to an end and Bill had no idea how or where to apply for a job. His thesis advisor had heard about a vacancy at Mount St. Mary’s College. Bill applied and was hired right on the spot in 1957.

At Mount St. Mary’s, Bill was an instructor in biology. He said, “They have ranks, and instructor is the lowest, and that’s what I was.” Here, they had two more children, Michael and Fred.

While Bill attended the University of Maryland to obtain his doctorate, Betty raised the kids. The couple then moved to Emmitsburg and settled into the town.

Once the kids were in school, Betty worked at Sperry’s Ford in Emmitsburg, managing business affairs; after a few years, she worked as a teacher’s aide at Emmitsburg School. This job lasted a short twenty-seven years. Betty said, “I knew just about everybody in town, and now know hardly anybody.”

Family trips usually revolved around National Science Foundation (NSF) grant-funded studies. The family went to Colorado for an ecology study, Arizona for a desert biology study, and North Carolina for genetics. The whole family would go, and they met lots of nice people and kept in touch with them.

Bill received the Sears Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1990. This was a prestigious national accolade. After forty-one years at Mount St. Mary’s, he retired. “It was my first and only job. I ended up as the Dean of Undergraduate Studies.” He retired in 1998.

Bill received another accolade when he was invited to speak at Mount St. Mary’s commencement after he retired—this was the first time since the 19th Century a faculty member was asked to speak.

On the home front, the Merediths have raised a garden since the summer of 1954. Betty started entering the Thurmont and Emmitsburg Community Show with vegetables and baked goods, and won many ribbons. She said, “I could paper this whole house with the award ribbons. It was fun!” Unfortunately, she suffered a broken hip a few years ago and couldn’t enter anymore.

Bill has written his monthly column entitled “The Retired Ecologist” in local newspapers since the 1990s. The column has appeared in the former Emmitsburg Dispatch when Bo Cadle started it, then for the Emmitsburg Dispatch when Ray and Jennifer Buccheister ran it, in the short-lived New Emmitsburg Chronicle, and now, it appears in the Emmitsburg News Journal. About the column, he said, “I hope the reader will know things about ecology by reading that they didn’t realize they learned.” September’s issue will include his 185th column, featuring an interesting story about his and Betty’s wedding and marriage.

Their three children have children of their own now. Melinda and Fred both retired from Verizon, and Mike’s a jeweler. The three youngest of six grandchildren are in college, while a computer specialist, an international economics graduate, and an events coordinator round out the group.

The family gathered at their home on August 23 to celebrate their 60th anniversary.

They’ve led an interesting life together, impacting many by imparting knowledge and nurturing growth. Bill and Betty, we wish you many more years of happiness!