Bowers

By BRENDAN KIRBY Staff Writer SMITHSBURG - Former Police Chief Tommy Bowers has asked a federal court to prevent Smithsburg from hiring a permanent replacement until his civil suit against the town is resolved, his attorney said Monday. Lewis C. Metzner, one of Bowers' lawyers, said Bowers made the motion in U.S. District Court in Baltimore on Thursday. It seeks a temporary restraining order that would prevent the town from hiring a permanent chief, Metzner said. He said the town still could hire an interim chief.

PREP BASEBALL Musselman 9, Pendleton County 6 Pendleton Co. 002 040 0 - 6 4 1 Musselman 110 421 0 - 9 8 6 Linaburg, Bowers (5) and Puffenberger. Coates, Frame (6) and Weatherholtz. WP - Frame (1-1). LP - Bowers. Good Counsel 4-6, Mercersburg Academy 3-7 Game 1 Good Council 310 000 0 - 4 8 1 Mercersburg 102 000 0 - 3 7 2 Graves, Bitanga (6) and Angle. O'Brien, Binford (3), M. Timoney (7) and Freeland. WP - Graves. LP - O'Brien (0-1). HR - M: M. Timoney (third, none on)

Maryland State Police and the Washington County Sheriff's Department are seeking the public's help in finding the person or people responsible for a series of recent commercial building break-ins in the county. Police believe an attempted break-in at a Clear Spring restaurant, a break-in at a Clear Spring diner and a break-in at a Hagers- town salon over the past couple of days might be linked. State Police Sgt. Dave Bowers said a broken window was found at Windy Hill Restaurant, 13120 Clear Spring Road, at about 7 a.m. Wednesday.

shappell@herald-mail.com Area police agencies are taking part in a two-month nationwide campaign to enforce the use of seat belts and child safety seats. The local campaign, called the Maryland Chiefs Seatbelt Challenge, started Tuesday and will continue through June 6. The Washington County Sheriff's Departments, the Smithsburg Police Department and Maryland State Police are among the agencies taking part in the campaign. Sheriff's department Cpl. Daryl Sanders said deputies will issue citations rather than warnings to people not wearing seat belts.

shappell@herald-mail.com Just more than a year ago, former Washington County Commissioner Ron Bowers was sentenced to 30 months probation after pleading guilty to a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol. Now, Bowers is leading a group trying to reduce the amount of people who repeat that offense. He credits hearing the story of a victim injured in an alcohol-related crash as one of the most significant moments in his recovery. Bowers, an admitted alcoholic, was appointed chairman of the advisory board to the Washington County Victim Impact Panel, which was formed this spring.

School board warned against 'impossible' demands By STEVEN T. DENNIS and DAVE McMILLION Staff Writers In a preemptive strike against "impossible" budget requests from the Board of Education next year, the Washington County Commissioners said Tuesday that they won't attend the school board's public hearing to present their budget next year if it isn't reasonable. "I think it's irresponsible to waste our time and their time year after year after year," said Commissioner James R. Wade, thumping his desk with his hand.

By STEVEN T. DENNIS Staff Writer Washington County Commissioner Ronald L. Bowers Tuesday suggested charging developers a road access fee as a way of raising money for a planned four-lane extension of Halfway Boulevard Extended and Newgate Boulevard west of Hopewell Road. Bowers said the fee could be charged much as a sewer hookup fee is and could help fund a portion of the $22 million in improvements. Such a fee could be charged to developers of new businesses for access to Halfway and Newgate in order to pay for the road work.

By BRENDAN KIRBY Staff Writer Former Smithsburg police chief Tommy Bowers Monday filed a federal lawsuit to get his job back, claiming the mayor and Town Council terminated him in a manner designed to cause "severe and extreme emotional distress, public shame and humiliation. " Bowers, who was dismissed in August, has said repeatedly that he is not interested in returning under Mayor Mildred "Mickey" Myers and the incumbent council members. He also said on a number of occasions that he would not sue the town.

bonnieb@herald-mail.com CHAMBERSBURG, PA. - Seventy-eight thousand American service personnel who served in World War II are unaccounted for. From the Korean War, 8,000. From the Vietnam War, 1,800. From the Cold War, 200, some of whom are civilians. From Desert Storm, 1. The families of these men and women need closure, said Chaplain and Pastor Emeritus Theodore E. Bowers, who currently is serving as national chaplain of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States.

By STEVEN T. DENNIS Staff Writer The prospect of impact fees, special taxing districts and other options were mentioned Tuesday as possible ways to fund a $27 million the county's building program through 2003. The County Commissioners, as part of a long-term debt-reduction plan, have set a goal of borrowing $6.5 million a year. The five-year plan of projects presented by County Finance Director Debra Bastian Tuesday exceeds that goal by $27 million. Bastian said the commissioners will face some tough decisions to either cut or delay planned projects or come up with more revenue.