Bob O Connor

NARFE Today, noon. Western Sizzlin restaurant, 17567 York Road, Hagerstown. National Active and Retired Federal Employees Chapter 306. Paul Cunningham will speak about income taxes. Members and guests welcome. Call JoAnn Rider at 301-733-7576. Christian Motorcyclists Association Saturday, Oct. 15, 9 a.m. Golden Corral Restaurant, 17635 Valley Mall Road, Halfway. All makes and models of motorcycles are welcome. Weather permitting, a group ride follows breakfast.

By JULIE E. GREENE Staff Writer In a continuing effort to spotlight tourism in Washington County, officials brought a piece of tourism's past out of the shadows on Thursday. A 13-year-old sign for which the county tourism office paid $1,010 but never used, was put on display at Williamsport's new satellite information center on Thursday. Ron Stansbury, president of the Hagerstown-Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau, said he discovered the sign on Monday when he went to GS Images to have a new sign laminated.

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. -- More than 1,000 people came out Saturday to celebrate the fourth annual Charles Town Heritage Day Festival. This year marks the 150th anniversary of John Brown's raid on the federal arsenal in Harpers Ferry, W.Va., and the 125th anniversary of Charles Town's two fire companies, said Bob O'Connor, chairman of the festival committee. "The festival is tied together with the history of Charles Town," O'Connor said. Craft vendors were selling their wares on Washington and George streets, and the Independent and Citizens fire companies were showing off fire equipment, including an 1872 steam pumper from New York state that the Independent Fire Co. purchased in 1885.

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - In a ceremony Thursday morning in Washington, D.C., which was attended by first lady Laura Bush, Charles Town was recognized as one of 14 communities across the country that has made strides in promoting heritage tourism, a city official said. Charles Town was named a Preserve America Community for its work in a number of areas, including its effort to preserve the Fishermen's Hall building on West Street, its support to save the former Jefferson County Jail in town, its attempt to purchase the historic Happy Retreat home and its efforts to redevelop old industrial areas in and around North Street, according to Charles Town City Council member Matt Ward.

1.  City ballets and 'The Nutcracker' The City Ballet School and Western Maryland City Ballet Company will present "The Nutcracker" at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9, at The Maryland Theatre, 21 S. Potomac St., downtown Hagerstown. $23 to $60. Call 301-790-3500 or go to www.mdtheatre.org . 2. Christmas songs with Choral Arts Hagerstown Choral Arts will perform along with special guests Capital Carillon Handbell Choir and Hub City Brass at 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 15 Randolph Ave., Hagerstown.

The Middleburg/Mason-Dixon Line Historical Society will meet Thursday at 7 p.m. at the State Line Ruritan Building off Pa. 11 at State Line (Pa.) Community Park.  The guest speaker will be Bob O'Connor, an author and historian from Charles Town, W.Va. His program, titled “A House Divided Against Itself,” is based on his book of the same title about the Culp brothers who fought in the Civil War. Originally from Gettysburg, Pa., the brothers fought against each other in different areas on the same battlefield, one for the 2nd Virginia Infantry, CSA, and the other for the 87th Pennsylvania, USA.  Both also spent time together in Chambersburg, Pa.  The public is invited to the free event.

More than 200 members of convention and visitors bureaus from across West Virginia are in Shepherdstown this week to network and talk about tourism. U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., was the keynote speaker Tuesday, the second day of the three-day Governor's Conference on Tourism at the Clarion Hotel and Conference Center. Rockefeller said many people don't understand how important tourism is to West Virginia's economy. “The tourism industry - and it is an industry - accounts for more than 44,000 jobs in West Virginia and more than $4 billion in consumer spending,” he said.

One hundred and fifty years ago, Union and Confederate forces exchanged artillery fire across the Potomac River for two days, a battle being commemorated this week by the Town of Hancock. The events started Thursday night with a reading of students' essays on the battle and a Civil War concert, both held at the St. Thomas' Episcopal Church, 2 E. High St., Mayor Daniel Murphy said. Confederate Gen. Stonewall Jackson ordered the surrender of Hancock on Jan. 5, 1862, but the commander of the Union garrison, Brig.

Today, Nov. 18 and 25: Toddler time, Boonsboro Library, 11 a.m. Free for ages 18 to 36 months; stories and activities. Nov. 5, 12, 19 and 26: Preschool story time, Boonsboro Library, 3:30 p.m. Free for ages 3 and older; stories and activities. Tuesdays and Thursdays: Low-impact aerobics class, Boonsboro Fire Hall, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays: Step-aerobics class at Little Antietam Community Center, 40 Mount Vernon Drive, Keedysville, 6:45 to 7:45 p.m., Nov. 6: Meet James Percoco, author of "Summers With Lincoln," Boonsboro Library, 6 p.m.; book signing follows.

Great yard sale Saturday at church Christ's Reformed Church, 130 West Franklin St., will be holding a yard sale Saturday, Aug. 26, from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. In addition to many yard sale items, there will be the many items church members have made and will sell at a craft table. The members also will have a baked goods table to satisfy your sweet tooth, and reasonably priced food and drinks for your lunch. Proceeds from the sale will benefit the new Aspiring to Serve kitchen fund.