Closings

D. Bruce Poole and Dane Bauer, two representatives of a real estate development group that includes Sora Development, presented a progress report to the five-member council April 23 detailing numerous meetings about developing a master plan conducted over the past five weeks with local business and education leaders as well as state officials. Poole and Bauer had hoped to receive approval from the council to move forward in the process last Tuesday, but some council members took issue with the proposal, prompting Tuesday's executive session that will begin about 4:30 p.m., in the council chamber at City Hall.

Both southbound lanes of Interstate 81 reopened as of 9:30 p.m. following a single-vehicle rollover crash near Falling Waters, according to a Berkeley County 911 dispatcher. The accident occurred at about 7:25 p.m., and both southbound lanes were shut down at about 7:40 p.m., the dispatcher said. One person was flown to Winchester (Va.) Medical Center, the dispatcher said. West Virginia State Police are investigating the crash.

Sandra Volneck has faced many challenges over the years, but the hardest thing she ever had to do was look at her 15-year-old daughter's battered, lifeless body before closing the casket and burying her. “I wouldn't wish that on nobody. I'll never get over it,” Volneck said last week. “Never.” Twenty-nine years later and recovering from surgery for lung cancer, Volneck still does not know who killed her only child. Maryland State Police recovered Lorraine “Lori” Zimmerman's body from a wooded area outside Boonsboro in April 1984.

Two local food establishments closed their doors Sunday, one a family-owned bakery, the other a chain restaurant. Icing Bakery & Cafe, a family-owned store in downtown Boonsboro, closed Sunday, as did a Shoney's restaurant at Hagerstown's Valley Mall. The Boonsboro bakery, which opened in May 2010, was known for its baked goods and sandwiches, including a chicken salad sandwich with cranberries and walnuts, a patron said. Lacy Barnhart, owned the store with her husband Tom Barnhart, said she and husband became the parents of twin girls last year, and the arrival of Avery and Eden was one reason for the closure.

Eastbound Interstate 70 at Exit 3 to Md. 144 (Main Street) in Hancock was closed for about six hours Tuesday morning due to an accident involving a tractor-trailer, a supervisor for Washington County Emergency Services said. Police responded to the accident shortly after 6:45 a.m. Tuesday. The eastbound lanes reopened at about 12:40 p.m., the supervisor said. No one was injured in the accident, according to the supervisor.  

Interstate 68 was closed in both directions at Sideling Hill in far western Washington County for about an hour Monday following to a tractor-trailer fire and oil spill, authorities said. The transmission blew on a tractor-trailer heading east on the interstate, a supervisor for Washington County Emergency Services said. No one was injured, an emergency services supervisor said. Police responded at around 7:40 a.m. Monday morning. One eastbound lane remained closed late Monday morning at Exit 74 (Md. 903/Mountain Road)

The Maryland State Highway Administration advises motorists that the exit from northbound U.S. 522 to West High Street in Hancock will be closed for pavement repairs Tuesday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  The SHA said the following detour will be posted. It will direct traffic to: Continue on northbound U.S. 522 Turn right on eastbound Interstate 70 Take eastbound I-70 to exit 3 for Hancock/Md. 144 At the end of the exit 3 ramp, take a right to westbound Md. 144 Continue on westbound Md. 144 to Virginia Avenue Take Virginia Avenue to West High Street

With Catherine “Katie” Stevens' 99th birthday behind her, the calendar is closing in on her centennial birthday. March 13 marked the last birthday Stevens's age could be counted in double digits. She said she received many floral arrangements, more than 50 cards and was still scheduling lunch dates to celebrate with friends. Stevens still lives independently, occasionally drives, flies annually to visit her granddaughter in Florida  and plays the organ at her church, Washington Square United Methodist in Hagerstown.

For the second straight day, Urbana Middle School closed at 12:30 p.m. due to a nonworking air conditioning system, Frederick County Public Schools announced in an email Thursday morning.

The last video-rental store in Boonsboro is closing its doors. Boonsboro Video, which has been at 7 Potomac St. since 1989, is closing and selling all of its videos and games at discounted prices, store owner Kathryn Hartle said recently. “There's too many resources with DISH Network, the Internet, cable television and DirecTV,” as well as Redbox, she said. “It just got to where I couldn't do it anymore.” Hartle said the way people watch movies now has been causing video-rental stores to go out of business for a while.