Latest news with #InternationalWaterTastingFestival
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Conococheague Institute relives life on the frontier in western Maryland
HAGERSTOWN, Md. () — For those who indulge in the rich history of western Maryland, the Conococheague Institute is a special resource to relive the Colonial era and roots of nationhood. The Institute's Pennsylvania homestead just over the Maryland state line takes visitors back with exhibits about 18th-century pioneers. 'We are an open-air living history museum,' Matthew Wedd, executive director of the institute, said. 'We serve about 6,000 students per year as they learn about colonial life on the frontier.' Asian American Center of Frederick hosts Lunar New Year community celebration Visitors of all ages, including students, K through 12, tour the Rock Hill Farm, drawing from inner-city neighborhoods and suburban communities. 'We service a lot of students who maybe never have seen a goat or a sheep up close,' Kori Taber with the Institute said. 'For them, it's really something new and they are super excited to go home and tell their family and friends about their experience here.' Family life from the time is a focus of the frontier homestead. 'We explore the woman's role on the farmstead,' Taber said. 'They were an integral part of taking care of family and helping with the animals was one of their main roles.' With the nation about to reach a historic milestone, the Conococheague Institute captures those post-colonial years. 'The Revolutionary Homestead is a five-year commitment to focus on the 18th century, specifically on the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution,' Wedd said. Berkeley Springs to host annual International Water Tasting Festival The Conocoheague Institute offers free programs every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout the year. More information can be found . Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Probationary federal workers challenge termination letters
WASHINGTON () —Probationary federal workers fired in the mass layoffs are now raising the alarm about their termination letters. Several former U.S. Department of Transportation probationary employees said the termination letters state they were let go based on performance as opposed to the mass layoffs. They are now calling this 'wrongful termination.' 'The U.S. Department of Transportation finds that based on your performance, you have not demonstrated that your further employment at the Department of Transportation would be in the public interests,' said Victoria Hinkle. When Victoria Hinkle said the stated reason for her termination was simply not true. 'It was absolutely a lie like I had mentioned I had received a performance evaluation that said I had exceeded expectations,' said Hinkle. Berkeley Springs to host annual International Water Tasting Festival She's not the only probationary worker who received a letter with the same reason for termination. 'It was extremely surprising because it happened so quickly,' said Patti Smith. 'I was getting a termination letter that was based on performance and I had never had performance issues documented and it was the opposite. I had an exemplary performance. So it was insulting to get that email.' This comes as the Trump administration ordered agencies to lay off nearly all probationary employees who have less than a year of experience on the job and have not yet gained civil service protection. 'We have less protections or presumption of less protections to appeal so it's easy,' says Smith. 'We're like easy targets.' Now, Victoria and Patti are worried about how this will impact their ability to get benefits and gain federal employment in the future. 'This is very inhumane,' said Hinkle. 'It's very unjust. They didn't give us [a] chance.' Victoria and Patti said other probationary employees are now looking to fight this in the courts as wrongful termination. DC News Now reached out to USDOT and has yet to hear back. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.