Westminster

Wilting economy is bad for florists

Who doesn't smile when surprised with a dozen roses at work? Even after seeing the "I love you very much" card from her fiance? Meet Melissa Fralin.

Westminster man convicted of child abuse

A Westminster man was convicted yesterday on child abuse charges in the shaking death of his infant son and now faces a possible maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, according to the Carroll County state's attorney's office. Ryan Emge, 21, was convicted in Carroll County Circuit Court on five counts stemming from the death of his 3-month-old son Rylee two years ago. Emge was convicted of child abuse by a parent resulting in death, child abuse by a parent resulting in serious physical injury, second-degree child abuse, manslaughter and second-degree assault.

Westminster man sought in rape

The Carroll County Sheriff's Office said yesterday that it has issued a warrant charging a Westminster man with second-degree rape and assault against a woman early Tuesday in her home. Authorities are looking for Vincente Gomora Bastida, 25, of Uniontown Road. They recovered his red Jeep Cherokee abandoned on West Main Street on Wednesday and believe he might still be in the Westminster area, the sheriff's office says. He frequents the Middle Grove Court and South Center Street areas of Westminster, according to authorities, and might use the names Pablo Gomora Colin or Louis Contreas, police say. The woman was treated for minor injuries. In a previous case, Westminster police charged him in a warrant with failing to appear in court, the sheriff's office says.

Five Things I Have To Have Now

Dottie Freeman

This weekend is the 25th annual Maryland Wine Festival at the Carroll County Farm Museum in Westminster. The event is expected to draw thousands. The museum's educational efforts go on throughout the year. Dottie Freeman, the museum's administrator, began working there in 1986. "I feel strongly connected to the rural roots of Carroll County, having grown up with my grandparents and learning how to live off the land," she said. She lives in Westminster with her husband, Dusty.

Westminster upends Century in field hockey

After graduating 12 seniors, Westminster's field hockey team appeared headed for a rebuilding season this fall - until its first game.

Sex offender on the run captured in Frederick

A sex offender sought by Carroll County authorities since he removed a home monitoring device and fled several days ago was captured yesterday in Frederick, police said. Paul Raymond Smith, 50, of Westminster had been serving a three-month home detention sentence for failing to register as a sex offender when he cut off his monitoring ankle bracelet and fled Aug. 20. About 10:20 a.m. Friday, a Frederick police officer noticed Smith standing under a pavilion in Mullinix Park. After a records check indicated that Smith was wanted by Carroll authorities, the officer arrested him without incident, said Brian Horton, a spokesman for the Carroll County Sheriff's Office. Investigators from the sheriff's office retrieved Smith from Frederick and took him to the Carroll County Detention Center, where he will remain in custody, Horton said. Smith was under detention at a home in the 900 block of Glenbrook Court in Westminster when correctional staff received an alert that Smith was tampering with his monitoring bracelet. A warrant charging him with second-degree escape was then issued.

A Shopper's Getaway

If you're looking to take a break from the hustle of the city or flee the sameness of suburbia, historic downtown Westminster is the perfect place to spend a day dining and shopping. The town in Carroll County began as a hub for merchants in the early 1800s, when the Baltimore- Reisterstown turnpike was created to promote trade between Baltimore and Pittsburgh. The growth continued with the creation of the Western Maryland Railroad, which was built around the time of the Civil War. And today, downtown Westminster is filled with shops featuring unique clothing and home-decor items and places for family fun.

Carroll woman dies in crash

A Carroll County woman was killed yesterday after the car she was driving collided with another vehicle at a Westminster intersection, police said.

Trial in 1988 sex case delayed

The trial of a man linked to a 1988 sex offense through DNA was postponed this week after police charged him with trying to hire someone to prevent the victim from testifying, court documents show.

Jaycees facing decline

Barbara Keith joined the Mount Airy Jaycees six years ago, and in only a year she became president of the group. She threw herself into planning social events to go along with the organization's traditional activities: the spring and fall yard sales, the Thanksgiving baskets, the Christmas party for underprivileged children, the Easter egg hunt.

Crash critically injures Carroll motorcyclist

A 20-year-old Carroll County man was critically injured Tuesday night after the motorcycle he was riding was struck head-on by a car that crossed a double yellow line in Westminster, state police said.

A new look at the old sights

On a recent summer afternoon, a camera crew slowly trekked up Westminster's Main Street.

Broadband age comes to Carroll

Police and firefighters using videoconferences for training. High school students taking college-level courses online. Residents telecommuting instead of racking up mileage and gas bills.

Drawing a line between danger and creativity

At Goucher College in Towson, author Madison Smartt Bell has been teaching creative writing for nearly 20 years. That's a lot of short stories - which often are long on drama and depressing themes.