Black Eye

karenh@herald-mail.com Guns are prohibited from public places in the Town of Boonsboro, after the Town Council voted Monday night to address an "oversight" in its laws. The emergency ordinance, which bans guns from public places, becomes law immediately, "because it is felt that this ordinance needs to be in effect tonight," Town Manager John Kendall said. Council members unanimously approved the measure. One resident asked if the law would prohibit members of the World Knights of the Ku Klux Klan from bringing guns to a rally the organization has planned for July 9 at Shafer Memorial Park.

WASHINGTON COUNTY karenh@herald-mail.com Washington County Public Schools officials today plan to appeal scores that prevented Smithsburg Middle School from making a federal standard of progress earlier this summer. According to Patricia Abernethy, deputy superintendent for instruction, five special education students at Smithsburg might have qualified to take a modified version of the Maryland School Assessment, if one had been offered. The school failed to make Adequate Yearly Progress because of low reading scores among special education students.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. -- The sentencing of a 20-year-old Berkeley County woman convicted of three felonies in the abuse, neglect and death of her 7-month-old son in August 2008 was postponed Monday to allow for a diagnostic evaluation and the completion of a presentencing report. Monica W. Boggs, 20, of 8791 Hedgesville Road, was found guilty Sept. 3 of death of a child by a parent, custodian or guardian or other person by child abuse; child abuse causing bodily injury; and gross child neglect creating substantial risk of bodily injury.

Don't play politics, put people to work To the editor: This is an open letter to U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett. Dear Congressman Bartlett: We watched in helpless horror while this ugly, partisan debate over debt and default spooled before our eyes. Now we are forced to live with the consequences of Congress' foolish brinkmanship. Washington has wrought a credit downgrade, retirement fund shrinkage and another black eye to Uncle Sam's reputation.

martinsburg@herald-mail.com MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - A charge of conspiracy to commit murder that was filed against a man in the shooting of an Inwood, W.Va., woman last month was dismissed Thursday morning, with police charging him instead with accessory before the fact of murder. Timothy C. Odell, 25, of 427 Winchester Ave., Martinsburg, was in Berkeley County Magistrate Court for a preliminary hearing on the conspiracy charge. The hearing was postponed after Assistant Prosecutor Joshua Henline announced the change in charges.

By LISA GRAYBEAL Staff Writer, Chambersburg CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - David Dreyer could only watch as his 1988 burgundy Ford Mustang LX rolled over a rocky cliff and plunged into the depths of the Edenville Quarry early Sunday morning. Dreyer, 17, of 5014 Guitner Road, Chambersburg, said he was at the quarry partying with friends between 2:30 and 3 a.m. when he looked across just in time to see his car rolling down a "big rocky ramp. " "I couldn't believe my car just went into the quarry," Dreyer said, sporting a black right eye he got in a fight earlier that night at the quarry.

Editor's note - Please be as brief as possible when calling Mail Call, The Daily Mail's reader call-in line. Mail Call is not staffed on weekends or holidays so it is best to call Mail Call during the week. The Mail Call number is 301-791-6236. You are welcome to leave a recorded message on any subject, but some calls will be screened out. Here are some of the calls we have received lately: "I want to respond about the gay marriages. It makes me sick. Rosie O'Donnell being on TV the way she was. They will meet their maker and when they do, they will pay for their mistakes.

Letters to the Editor 2/5 GOP stole power; we want our country back To the editor: We went to the inauguration parade. We were there to take a strong stand for honesty, for love of country, for the future of our children and all the children of the world. We did not wear signs or posters. There were many people that went to show our distrust of this new administration. This administration started out by stealing their way in. They lied their way in. They stole the credibility of the Supreme Court.

WILLIAMSPORT -- It was another night of frustration in the third quarter for the Williamsport boys basketball team. In their last four outings -- all losses -- the Wildcats have allowed 21, 24, 25 and 20 points in the third period. On Friday, it proved to be catastrophic once again as the Wildcats failed in their effort to catch MVAL Antietam leader Brunswick, losing 62-48 to the Railroaders. "We've got a third quarter bugaboo," said Williamsport coach Scott Mowbray. "It's been a black eye in this losing streak.