Basketball Court

FUNKSTOWN -- Funkstown Community Park should have a new basketball court next spring and, if state officials approve, new tennis courts within a year. Town council members approved the low bid Monday night for a new basketball court and 320 feet of sidewalk for the park. The contract went to the Hagerstown business Henson & Son Inc., which bid $41,738 for the basketball court and $6,400 for a walkway. The basketball court will go in the new section of the park, Assistant Mayor Paul Crampton Jr. said.

SEPT. 9, 1941-SEPT. 14, 2009 HOLLYWOOD, Fla. - Joseph Gilleece (Skip) Vance Sr., 68, of Hollywood, Fla., died at his home on Sept. 14, 2009. Born Sept. 9, 1941, in Hagerstown, Md., he was the son of the late Ida Mildred (Clark) and Joseph Hager Vance Jr. Skip grew up in Hagerstown, attending the public schools of Washington County. Both of his parents were employed by the Washington County Board of Education. His father, Joseph H. Vance, served the county school system as supervisior of finances and as supervisor of transporation for many years.

With March Madness upon us, college basketball talk is hard to miss. Fan or not, this month, you can't get away from bracketology, win/loss ratios and peaking players. Here at the Washington County Free Library, we're always looking for ways to match kids with books. Sports books are often popular with boys, especially boys who are reluctant to read. However, sports books offer universal themes for all young readers. After all, there is a reason sports metaphors are often employed when talking about character-development themes such as overcoming hardships ("jumping hurdles")

Images of the winter sports season in Washington County, captured by Herald-Mail staff photographers: By Colleen Helf/Staff Photographer South Hagerstown High School's Devonte Morel, left, and Allegany High School's Aaron Smith both lose control of a rebound, Dec. 26, 2008, at the Two Town Showdown basketball tournament at North Hagerstown High School. By Kevin Gilbert/Staff Photographer North High pole vaulter Dominic Sink goes upside down to clear the bar in the pole vault competition Feb. 7 in the 1A West indoor track championship at Hagerstown Community College.

SMITHSBURG - Steve Granata has always loved basketball, but as a teen he realized that his short stature would most likely derail his dream of playing in the NBA. He has a vivid recollection of a basketball assembly during his middle school years growing up in Ohio. It provided the model for Granata's current career - combining his basketball skills and can-do attitude in educational assemblies for a company called Academic Entertainment. Smithsburg Middle School students got to witness Granata's motivational program, "The Totally Courageous Basketball Exhibition," on Feb. 5. The progressive show, sponsored by the Smithsburg Middle School PTSA, demonstrated the power of patience and breaking goals down into small steps.

SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. -- Ken Tyler is going to have a makeover. So is Justin Namolik, for that matter. "I only have things that are blue and gold," Tyler said Wednesday in a press conference on the basketball court in Shepherd University's Butcher Center. "They are orange and black. " "They" are the West Virginia Wesleyan Bobcats, the school and athletic program that made Tyler make the tough decision to step down as Shepherd's men's basketball coach after seven years to accept the job as athletic director for the Rams' West Virginia Conference rival.

In addition to City Park and Fairgrounds Park, Hagerstown has other parks that offer a variety of activities for families to enjoy. For more information, contact the Hagerstown Parks and Recreation Department at 301-739-8577, ext. 169. · Bloom Park - North Potomac Street at North Avenue. · Funkhouser Park - 570 Jefferson St. Playground equipment, basketball court. Home of the Hagerstown PONY League. · Hager Park - Frederick Street at Memorial Boulevard.

Marlys Palmer has spent 28 years being the best health and physical education professor she can be at Hagerstown Community College. She is a formidable opponent, motivator and teacher as the school's women's basketball coach. She even has an induction to the NJCAA Region XX Hall of Fame to prove it. But when it comes to comprehending some simple math, she's floored. "It's phenomenal," Palmer said. "I have 172 students this year. I average 120-140 students a semester. You start to do the math, it's huge.

I've read many times by many different writers that regardless of how old we really are, in our minds we always see ourselves in our youth. At my age, that requires overlooking a few very minor details, such as a balding pate, aching feet, a bad back and worsening eyesight. I thought about that when I realized it was 30 years ago this year that I graduated from college. Those college years are the prism through which I seem to view many things, perhaps because I've carried over to middle age many of those college-era passions and ideals.

Plan for school off Sharpsburg Pike OK'd The Washington County Planning Commission on Monday approved the site plan for an elementary school in the Westfields development off Sharpsburg Pike. Senior Planner Lisa Pietro said the 83,000-square-foot school will be on 13.6 acres. The school property will include a baseball field, basketball court and play areas, Pietro said. The two-story school's capacity will be 745 students, she said. Cell tower plan approved by panel The site plan for a 190-foot cell tower west of Clear Spring was approved Monday by the Washington County Planning Commission.