(7/2021) Body found in Catoctin Mountain Park

The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Baltimore Field Office is seeking the public’s assistance with identifying a woman whose body was found at Catoctin Mountain Park near Thurmont on June 12.

Law Enforcement Agencies responded to the National Park on Saturday afternoon after a portion of the woman’s body was discovered by hikers in the surrounding area of the park.

The cause of death is still pending an autopsy. Based on the condition of the body, it is unclear how long it was there. The woman had long, dark hair with braids. She was wearing a black track suit, wrist guard, and red Nike shoes. She was also found with a Puma handbag and a set of keys containing an El Salvador keychain.

Anyone having any information leading to the identification of "Jane Doe," or a disappearance of a missing person in the last six months, please call the FBI’s toll-free tip-line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or contact a local FBI office, the nearest American Embassy or Consulate, or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. The National Park Service is supporting the FBI during this investigation.

Funding for emergency generator approved

The Thurmont commissioners awarded a contract for the installation of an emergency generator to be installed at the town office by GS Electric of Thurmont, for $45,000 at their June 15 meeting.

Chief Administrative Officer James Humerick told the commissioners that the town had received a Hazardous Mitigation grant from FEMA for the proposed emergency-generator installation project for the town office.

However, FEMA initially indicated that, due to funding shortages, that the grant could only be approved with 60 percent funded, to be provided by FEMA with the expectation that the town would provide 33 percent of the project costs. Normally, such grants are arrived on a 75-percent/25 percent cost sharing basis.

Complicating matters further, the award was based on now-obsolete cost estimates for the project which had been submitted in 2018, resulting in the bids coming in well over the allocated funding.

Given the impact of inflation on the cost estimates, Humerick contacted the agency that manages FEMA funding, and was informed that the town could re-submit the application with updated numbers, and may now obtain the ‘more traditional’ 75-percent/25-percent cost-sharing allocation due to an increase in available FEMA money.

If the resubmittal is re-approved, it would save the town some $5,000 in the amount the town would otherwise have to provide under a 60-percent/33-percent arrangement.

‘Gateway’ Golf applications now being taken

For anyone wishing to participate in this year’s 3rd Annual Gateway to The Cure Golf Classic, applications are now being taken.

Commissioner Bill Buehrer informed the commissioners at their June 22 meeting that applications for participation are now available on-line (at thurmontmainstreet.com), and that the first foursome has now signed-up. He said donation-solicitation letters have also been mailed out.

Buehrer said if golfers who are interested in participating do not have a group, or are a member of a group, "we’ll still take you and put you with some guys you’ll have a blast with."

The golf event will be held on September 10 at the Maple Run Golf Course. Funds generated by the event help support the Hurwitz Breast Cancer Fund at Frederick Health Hospital. Town Economic Development Manager Vickie Grinder manages the Gateway to The Cure campaigns as part of her many economic development responsibilities.

Thurmont may see more park funding

Mayor Kinnaird stated at the commissioners’ June 22 meeting that he recently learned at a Project Open Space meeting that Frederick County has received $6 million "specifically for parks and improvements."

The mayor said that the county will be sharing that on a 50-50 basis with the county’s municipalities, "so we will have $3 million to divide between all the (county’s) municipalities."

Chief Administrative Officer James Humerick has been tasked with assimilating a list of possible projects, which must be "shovel-ready" to qualify. Humerick cited four projects: seal-coating paths in the Trolley Trail; the proposed Gateway Trail pedestrian bridge; the creation of the East End Park baseball field; and possibly field-lighting for Eyler Road Park.

The commissioners will review Humerick’s recommendations before proceeding with submitting the applications.