WESTMINSTER — At long last, the Marlin K. Hoff Memorial Log Barn is complete at its new home.

The Carroll County Farm Museum will host a dedication and tours of the 18th century barn at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, July 18 at the barn's site at the museum, 500 S. Center St., Westminster.

The effort to move and reconstruct the historic barn have been led by master carpenter Glenn James, a Manchester area resident, and his crew from Craftwright Inc.

His workers have spent roughly a year-and-a-half disassembling the circa 1794 Schweitzer-style barn and carefully marking and cataloging each of the 400 or so beams, logs, joists, braces, posts and brackets in preparation for reassembling it at the Carroll County Farm Museum.

The barn had stood in New Windsor for more than 200 years.

The Hoff Barn was built by Yost Greenwood, a Pennsylvania German blacksmith who died in 1828.

The barn's most recent private owner, the late Marlin Hoff, realized the barn's historical importance and, before his death in 2004, set in motion plans to donate it to the county for preservation.

-- Staff reports

Sykesville auxiliary officer receives Knights' award

SYKESVILLE -- Sgt. Michael Blair, of the Sykesville Police Department's Auxiliary Unit, was honored recently by the Knights of Columbus Council for being the law enforcement officer of the year.

Blair has served on the auxiliary for two-and-a-half years as a liaison with Sykesville's business owners, performing patrols in the community, working school crossing, helping traffic flow during accidents and power outages, educating the community at town events, and more.

Blair and his wife, Pat, who donates time to this cause, were guests of honor at a June 13 banquet.

-- Charles Schelle

Health department hosts WIC farmers' market

WESTMINSTER -- The Carroll County Health Department's WIC Program, in cooperation with the Department of Economic Development, is holding its "Fresh Start Farmers Market" on Monday, July 13, in the parking lot behind the health department on S. Center Street, Westminster.

Farmers will set up stands to sell fruits and vegetables, 2 to 6:20 p.m. The market is open to all, and will accept coupon checks from both the WIC Program and the Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program. For details, 410-386-2070.

CATS' South Carroll shuttle grows to Saturdays

SYKESVILLE -- Carroll Area Transit System this week announced an expansion of service by extending its South Carroll Shuttle to include Saturdays. In addition, CATS will add new stops for the summer on each of the four shuttle routes.

New stops include Piney Run Park and Fairhaven Retirement Community, in Sykesville, the Carroll County YMCA, Players Amusement Center, in Westminster, and a golf center on Route 140.

CATS operates four fixed-route shuttles that have bus stops around the county. Schedules can be found at www.carrolltransit.org and require no prior reservation.

Passengers can also transfer from one shuttle to the other at new transfer locations at Town Mall, in Westminster, and WalMart, in Eldersburg.

The South Carroll Shuttle covers both Sykesville and Eldersburg and stops at Sykesville Apartments, Springfield Hospital, Spencer Village, Carrolltown Center, Marvin Gardens, Carrolltowne Village, Martin's, Safeway, Shoppers Food Warehouse and Walmart, among others.

This shuttle has operated Monday through Friday is now offered Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The shuttle fare is $1 with no extra charge for transfers. Seniors, people with disabilities and those with a medical assistance card can ride for 50 percent off.

CATS also offers a door-to-door shared ride service that takes any Carroll County resident anywhere in the county to anywhere in the county. For details, call 410-876-RIDE or 410-876-7433.

Incinerator plans to be discussed at FACC

ELDERSBURG -- The Freedom Area Citizens' Council will host a discussion of Carroll County's proposed joint trash incinerator, to be built in Frederick County, at its July meeting this week.

The meeting will be at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, July 16 at the South Carroll Senior and Community Center, 5745 Bartholow Road, Eldersburg.

Mike Evans, Carroll County director of the Department of Public Works, will discuss plans for a waste-to-energy trash incinerator. Last week the Board of County Commissioners approved joining and sharing the project with Frederick County.

Also at the FACC meeting, local newspapers will make brief presentations. Scheduled to be on hand are Carroll Eagle editor Jim Joyner, Carroll County Times publisher Pat Richardson and The Advocate reporter Laura Peterson.

-- Charles Schelle

Shepherd's Staff registers for back-to-school effort

WESTMINSTER -- Shepherd's Staff, a nonprofit outreach organization, will host registration for its back-to-school program through July 24 at 30 Carroll St., in Westminster.

Families can get help with school supplies including backpacks and shoes, as well as school clothing and new or used books. Registration over the phone will not be accepted, but more information is available by calling 410-857-5944.

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