Companies

Hagerstown-based ThompsonGas said Friday it has acquired three propane marketing companies in two southern states, making it the 16th-largest retail propane company in the United States. The ThompsonGas subsidiary, ThompsonGas-Smokies LLC, purchased Drivers Energy of Dawson, Ga., the Quality/Ideal Gas group in Griffin, Ga., and Tarheel Oil and Propane in North Wilkesboro, N.C., a company news release said. “We are continuing to greatly expand our presence in the Southeast and the whole East Coast of the United States,” President J. Randall Thompson said in the release.

CASCADE -- Two firms recently have located to Fort Ritchie at Cascade. Aspen Grove Inc., an independent company that provides property management solutions for bank-owned real estate, is leasing 855 square feet in Building 607 of the former U.S. Army base. The company will employ three people, according to a press release from the Hagerstown-Washington County Economic Development Commission. The second company is DJR Associates Inc., a Department of Navy and Missile Defense Agency engineering services firm.

The thing that fascinates me most about American politics is that just when it seems as if we've seen it all, and the political landscape is in danger of becoming dull and monotonous, someone raises the bar. And indeed, shortly after the election, a handful of corporate executives stepped up to the plate to announce that, due to the Obama win, they would be forced - forced - to lay off workers or cut back hours. How great is that? We've all seen sore losers who want to take their ball and go home.

HAGERSTOWN, MD. - Representatives of South Hagerstown Fire Co., Antietam Fire Co. and Independent Junior Fire Co. each gave the mayor of Hagerstown a $100,000 check Tuesday to help pay for the purchase of three new pumper trucks. The checks were handed over at the start of the Hagerstown City Council work session so the city could publicly recognize and acknowledge donations from the companies, City Administrator Bruce Zimmerman said. Last week, the council approved buying the trucks for the companies at a cost of $811,086.

HAGERSTOWN -- Fire and rescue companies that operate two stations should get double the county funding of companies with only one station, Washington County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association President Glenn Fishack told the Washington County Commissioners Tuesday. The county has two companies with substations, which currently get only about one and a half times the funding of the other companies, Fishack said. Those stations are the First Hose Co. of Boonsboro Inc., which has a substation in Rohrersville, and Community Rescue Service Inc., which has a substation in Maugansville.

WILLIAMSPORT erinc@herald-mail.com Beginning Sunday, Williamsport's fire and rescue companies will be housed in the same building for the first time in about 40 years. The step is the first toward a future merger of the companies, officials said Monday. Williamsport Volunteer Rescue Services and Williamsport Volunteer Fire Co. will remain separate companies, but both organizations will operate out of the fire station at 2 Brandy Drive in Williamsport. Winfield Brown, president of the ambulance company, said his station's relocation will cut costs for the company and enable volunteers to run calls for both stations.

Every couple of years, for the past three decades, a brushfire of sorts has broken out in one of Washington County's fire houses, and for every couple of brushfires the County Commissioners have vowed to get a handle on the independent, decentralized emergency services system that creates these brushfires in the first place. They never do, of course, but it usually leaves them with a nice new study to place on a shelf, so at least the consulting industry economy gets a boost. It would all be rather amusing, were life and property not on the line.

Hundreds of people passed out resumes and picked up applications Friday at Kaplan University's Spring Job Fair, while employers like   Kool Smiles were there looking to both hire and help people. "We offer dental services to children and adults, and we accept Medicaid," B.J. Ostrum of Kool Smiles said. Its Hagerstown office has openings for three dental assistants, but the company was also there to make people aware of the service they offer, Ostrum said. "I like to go to job fairs because a lot of people at fairs are in need of assistance," said Kimberly Buchanan of the Washington County Community Action Council.

Dot Foods, Inc. - the leading food redistributor in the nation - is hosting a job fair Saturday at its Williamsport, Md., warehouse to help fill more than 50 full- and part-time positions, a company official said. Williamsport General Manager Brian Duffield said the company is seeking candidates to fill about 30 full-time material-handler jobs and 25 positions that require a Class A commercial driver's license. “We also have very flexible part-time positions available in our warehouse,” Duffield said, noting that the part-time jobs would be perfect for area students or people looking for weekend or nighttime work.

tarar@herald-mail.com Washington County Director of Emergency Services Joe Kroboth said he favors merging fire and ambulance companies throughout the county because the moves would save money and allow the companies to operate more efficiently. Kroboth said last week none of the companies would shut down unless supported by others. Rather, companies located near each other would move into the same building and continue to operate as separate companies, he said. Some fire and ambulance companies are currently located down the street from each other, he said.

The company that provides speed cameras to the City of Hagerstown will pay $27,100 in refunds to 713 motorists who paid citations from three cameras that were not certified under the guidelines mandated by state law. Hagerstown Police Chief Mark Holtzman said Wednesday that the problem came to the attention of police on Monday, when a Washington County District Court judge threw out three citations that were issued in January to the same vehicle by...

A request to change the title and increase the pay of a currently vacant Washington County emergency services position to better align with the job's responsibilities, and to hire a new person to fill the vacancy, drew mixed reviews from county leaders last week. It also raised concern from officers of at least two county volunteer EMS companies, who said they were not consulted or even notified of the request made by county Division of Emergency Services Director Kevin Lewis. Smithsburg EMS Chief James Ulrich, who serves as acting chairman of the Washington County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association's EMS committee, said Friday that he and others from volunteer companies did not learn of the proposal until they saw a copy of the agenda a few days before last Tuesday's meeting of the Washington County Board of Commissioners.

The Hancock Town Council voted Wednesday to provide a $200,000 loan to the company planning to build electronic home plates there later this year. The council voted to loan the money to Spessard Manufacturing with a personal guarantee from owner Jerry Spessard. Spessard is the co-inventor of the Eagle Eye Electronic Home Plate, which can call balls and strikes, as well as record pitch speed and other data. He plans to build a 6,000-square-foot facility in the town-owned Stanley Complex property.

Lacrosse The MPSSAA boys and girls playoff draws will be held Monday, with regional action starting on Wednesday. At 10-1 through Wednesday, North Hagerstown's girls have by far the best record among Washington County teams, and still have a shot at the No. 1 seed in Class 3A/2A West - although unbeaten Damascus (10-0) is the front-runner. The Hubs are one of four very good teams in the region, along with Damascus, Century (11-2) and Middletown (9-2). Middletown has been a thorn in North's side, beating the Hubs twice last year - including in the 2012 3A/2A West quarterfinals - and again earlier this season, North's only loss.

The administrator and former chief of The Volunteer Fire Co. of Halfway, Md. Inc., requested a jury trial on theft  and theft scheme charges during an appearance Thursday in District Court. District Judge Ralph H. France II ordered the case of Jeffrey C. Ringer forwarded to Circuit Court. Ringer, 53, of 11221 Hollywood Road in Hagerstown, was charged earlier this year with misusing more than $10,000 in company funds over four years to pay for bar and restaurant bills, and a family member's tuition, according to the application for statement of charges filed by Maryland State Police.

A Fayetteville resident was taken to the hospital and a family pet is believed to have died Saturday after a fire destroyed a two-story home, displacing its four residents, according to fire officials.  The Fayetteville Fire Department responded Saturday at 1:58 p.m. to the fire at 8202 Lincoln Way East. One person was taken to Chambersburg (Pa.) Hospital for smoke inhalation. Captain Brady Bumbaugh, commanding officer at the scene, said winds between 10 and 15 mph increased the fire, which crews initially attempted to fight from inside the house.

The story is a fairy tale classic. Girl sweeps floor, then magically appears at royal ball and sweeps prince off his feet. There are fairy godmothers, magic pumpkins and a race against the clock — a surreal series of events all told with romance, humor and drama, as well as a happy ending. Throughout the years, the story of the peasant-turned-princess who loses a glass slipper has never lost its luster or appeal. And, today, the shoe still fits. For some, the enchantment of "Cinderella" has come from the pages of a book.

Boonsboro Town Council members decided Monday night to increase the frequency of the town's curbside recycling service. Boonsboro currently has twice-a-week trash pick-up and recycling every other week, but council members decided to use a new trash collection company that will collect trash once a week and recyclables once a week. The town's current one-year trash contract with Allied Waste is up for renewal at the end of June, town officials have said. The council decided to seek bids on two types of service, one that would keep the current setup, and also decided to seek bids on once-a-week recycling and once-a-week trash pick-up.

Senior citizens enrolled in medical and prescription plans through a Florida-based health insurance company will not see a gap in their Medicare coverage, despite the company's contracts being terminated April 1, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Those terminations affect residents of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Virginia. CMS “will ensure continuous medical and prescription coverage for beneficiaries enrolled in Universal Health Care Medicare health plans,” according to a new release issued Friday afternoon.

The state's Capital Budget bill cleared a crucial step in the House of Delegates on Wednesday when it passed a second reading, and tucked away in it was a provision setting aside $85,000 for the Antietam Fire Company in Hagerstown. The Capital Budget bill, however, did not include any money for the demolition of the former Municipal Electric Light Plant in Hagerstown. Del. John P. Donoghue, D-Washington, who had asked for the fire company money through a bond bill to fund renovations and repairs to the Antietam Fire Company's firehouse, said the money would help Hagerstown residents.