Allegiant Air

Some local officials and the Hagerstown Suns baseball club want to build a new city stadium, paid for by the city, county, state and the Suns. As a baseball fan, I hope this happens; a taxpayer-funded stadium would be a nice government subsidy to me. But local residents should wonder whether the Suns and I, and other stadium users, deserve it. Providing subsidies is a duty of government. But subsidies should only pay for important goods and services that people are somehow obstructed from buying or selling privately.

County government officials agreed in a closed session last year to pay a $100,000 incentive for a financial services company to expand into Washington County, but its name is protected by a nondisclosure agreement, according to a county official. The payment - to be made from the county's hotel-motel tax fund in fiscal year 2012 - is documented on the county's fiscal 2011 Hotel Motel Tax Annual Report in a list of funds committed but not yet spent. Fiscal 2012 runs from July 1, 2011, to June 30, 2012.

Hagerstown Regional Airport officials said Wednesday that they are counting on the community to help retain the airport’s new, twice-weekly jet service to Myrtle Beach, S.C. and Lakeland, Fla., which is slated to start June 23. “We’re ecstatic about this service to these two popular destinations. However, we are depending on you folks in the community and the Tri-State area to fill these seats and make this work,” Airport Director Phil Ridenour said at a news conference in the airport terminal Wednesday morning.

An economic impact study released Monday by the Maryland Aviation Administration ranked Hagerstown Regional Airport third out of 35 public-use airports in the state for 2012. Throughout the state, nearly 8,700 jobs can be traced to the aviation industry, creating personal wages of more than $442 million in the past year, the study shows. Additionally, more than $665 million in business revenue was generated, including approximately $222 million as a result of local purchases. Generating more than $109 million in business revenues and supporting a total of 1,338 aviation-related jobs, Hagerstown trailed only Martin State Airport ($224 million)

Despite the loss of Hagerstown Regional Airport's sixth carrier in 10 years, Washington County and airport officials said they remain committed to offering commercial passenger service at the airport. "That's the purpose of the airport," said Terry Baker, president of the Board of County Commissioners. "Our airport will thrive regardless of the level of commercial passenger service that we have, but we really need to have that passenger service," Commissioner Ruth Anne Callaham said.

As Washington County considers how to restructure its economic development commission, two staff positions there are vacant and a third will be soon. Robin L. Ferree, the EDC's deputy director, is leaving his job on Sept. 21. He will become the next president of Bowman Development. Greg Larsen, the EDC's airport business development manager, left his job Aug. 17. The top EDC job - executive director - has been open since April, when the county dismissed Timothy R. Troxell from the job. County Administrator Gregory B. Murray said Tuesday that he expects all three open jobs to be filled at some point, but not necessarily with the same duties or titles.

"The announcement of Allegiant Air coming to the airport does nothing to help the business traveler - unless your business is in Orlando. As for leisure travelers, Orlando Sanford airport is in Sanford, about 35 miles from Disney World. Similar to calling the Frederick airport the Baltimore Frederick airport. So be prepared to drive 45 minutes to one hour, after your flight arrives at 9:55 p.m. Airport officials had to come up with something, and this is the best they could do?" - Hagerstown "First we saw the County Commissioners in 'sunflower' robes on the front page of The Herald-Mail.

Candidates for Washington County Commissioner shared their ideas for going green, helping small businesses and keeping an airline at Hagerstown Regional Airport during a forum hosted Thursday evening by the League of Women Voters of Washington County at St. Johns Episcopal Church. Moderators asked 10 questions to the group at large and called on about five candidates to answer each one, giving the candidates two minutes per question. Candidate John Munson answered the most questions, offering responses to six of the 10, while incumbent Commissioners' President John F. Barr answered only one question and candidate Charlie Henson did not answer any, declining even when called on at one point by the moderator.

Direct Air's inaugural flight into Hagerstown Regional Airport Thursday was about an hour behind schedule, but with a bluegrass band, sheet cake, a contest and speeches by local officials, outbound passengers had plenty to keep them busy. The flight was the first of what will be twice-weekly service between Hagerstown Regional Airport and Lakeland, Fla., with stops in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Local officials heralded the service as not only a convenient travel option for area residents, but a chance to partner with Lakeland, Fla. — a central Florida city midway between Tampa and Orlando — to cross-promote tourism between Florida and Western Maryland.

For new Hagerstown Regional Airport Director Phil Ridenour, the transition from airport fire chief to head honcho has felt seamless. "Just, one day I was fire chief, the next afternoon I was airport director," he said during an interview at the airport Feb.17, two days after he was appointed by the Washington County Commissioners to replace former director Carolyn Motz, who retired Jan. 1. Although his previous job description was to oversee aircraft...