· Washington County state's attorney: Republican incumbent Charles P. Strong Jr.
· Washington County Commissioners (five open seats): Republicans William J. Wivell (an incumbent), Terry Baker and John F. Barr, and Democrat Paul L. Swartz
· Washington County sheriff: Douglas W. Mullendore, a Democrat
· Washington County Board of Education (three open seats): William Staley
The federation also picked Robert Ehrlich for governor, Anne McCarthy for comptroller, Scott Rolle for attorney general and Michael Steele for U.S. Senate. All are Republicans.
Hospital PAC makes picks
The West Virginia Hospital Political Action Committee announced its endorsements Friday for state Senate and House of Delegates races.
For Senate District 16, which covers Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan counties, the PAC picked Democrat John Unger, the incumbent.
In Eastern Panhandle delegate races, the PAC chose:
· Daryl E. Cowles, a Republican, in the 51st District
· Craig Blair, a Republican, the incumbent in the 52nd District
· Walter Duke, a Republican, the incumbent in the 54th District.
· John Overington, a Republican, the incumbent in the 55th District.
· Robert Tabb, a Democrat, the incumbent in the 56th District.
· John Doyle, a Democrat, the incumbent in the 57th District.
· Locke Wysong, a Democrat, the incumbent in the 58th District.
The PAC did not endorse anyone in the 53rd District.
Board of education forum
The Hagerstown-Washington County Chamber of Commerce has invited candidates for Washington County Board of Education to a candidate breakfast on Oct. 25 at the Four Points Sheraton on Dual Highway.
The breakfast forum will start at 7:30 a.m. Tickets are $10 apiece.
To register, call the Chamber at 301-739-2015 or go to www.hagerstown.org.
Waste watchdogs back Bartlett
The Citizens Against Government Waste Political Action Committee said it has endorsed Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, R-6th, in his re-election bid.
In a news release, the nonprofit organization said that any member of Congress that it has rated above 80 percent qualifies as a "taxpayer hero." It has given Bartlett a lifetime rating of 82 percent.
Bartlett is running against Democrat Andrew Duck and Green Party candidate Robert E. Kozak in the Nov. 7 general election.
- Andrew Schotz
Coming soon? Not quite
Something isn't very current about Washington County Commissioner candidate Paul Swartz's yellow door-hanger ad, which was available Friday at the Democratic headquarters.
The first on his long list of accomplishments gives away the ad's vintage: "Brought University of Maryland to Hagerstown (classes to start in 2004)."
Item three is another clue: "Libraries! Built Clear Spring; Developing Plans for Boonsboro and Smithsburg." Smithsburg's new library opened in July.
The flier was current when Swartz, a former county commissioner, first used it - in a re-election bid four years ago.
Asked about it, Swartz laughed and said his children like to say of him: "Dad is tight as bark on a tree."
After initially relying mostly on $1,000 of his own money for his campaign, Swartz said he mailed fundraising letters that raised about $10,000.
He already has new fliers.
Swartz said the old ones - and a section at his Web site - should have been reworded to reflect that the accomplishments were the work of many people, not just him.
Or else people might think that Swartz alone: "Opened new landfill." "Began process of widening Interstate 81." "Completed Agricultural Museum." "Built new SPCA facility." "Developed Emergency Service Plan."
- Andrew Schotz
