Completion

A familiar cast of characters helped the Washington Nationals complete a lopsided, season-opening three-game sweep of the payroll-slashing, talent-trading Miami Marlins. Now should come more of a test: A visit to the reigning NL Central champion Cincinnati Reds starting Friday. In Washington's 6-1 victory over Miami in the finale Thursday - the combined series score was 11-1 - Jayson Werth tacked on a three-run homer, Ryan Zimmerman's three hits included a two-run double, Bryce Harper had two more hits, and right-hander Jordan Zimmermann went six innings.

A draft of the follow-up study that looks at the economic feasibility of two additional sites for a new ballpark for the Hagerstown Suns has been sent to the city for review, a Ripken Design official said Wednesday afternoon. Dan Taylor, project manager with Ripken Design, said a copy of the report was delivered to Jill Estavillo, the city's economic development manager. Taylor said he expects the city to review the draft over the next “week or two” and then report back to the firm with any requested revisions or changes.

It's the place where kids want to be and the place where their parents can feel good about it. And, according to club leaders, the Boys & Girls Club of the Eastern Panhandle offers services to nearly 1,000 members ages 6 to 18 from the three-county area. The Martinsburg unit has 600 members, Jefferson County has 350 and Morgan County has 250, said Stefani Pierson, executive director of the Boys & Girls Club of the Eastern Panhandle. On Wednesday, the club's corporate board of directors hosted a one-hour open house to showcase recent improvements made at the Martinsburg club, which meets in a city-owned former armory building at 105 W. John St. The event included a tour of a new ceiling in the gymnasium, new commercial kitchen and other improvements completed in recent years, Pierson said.

Another extension has been granted to the contractor for the Washington County Free Library system's central library, delaying its opening likely until mid-summer, library officials said Tuesday. Three approved extensions had been granted through the end of May, but another is needed, library Board of Trustees member John Schnebly said at the State of the Library meeting and budget presentation, which was attended by the Washington County Board of Commissioners and the Hagerstown mayor and City Council.

Construction for the last leg of a project that will complete a downtown bike loop was unanimously approved Tuesday by the Hagerstown City Council. A contract was awarded to Hagerstown company Henson & Son, Inc, in the amount of $79,786.50 for the construction of a 10-foot-wide multiuse path from South Prospect Street along Walnut Street to Park Circle, along the north side of Park Circle to Walnut Avenue. According to the city documents, the construction will connect existing bike lanes on South Prospect Street to Summit Avenue and cyclists will have the option of turning onto the West Lee Street bike lane or continuing north on a new Summit Avenue lane connecting to an existing lane on Jonathan Street.

The renovated Behavioral Sciences and Humanities (BSH) Building and a new faculty development center in the Learning Support Center at Hagerstown Community College were part of dedication ceremony Friday that marked the completion of the Arts and Science Complex. The BSH Building formerly was the Classroom Building and the Learning Support Center was the former Science Building. The Arts and Science Complex also includes the expanded Kepler Center and a new Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)

Letterkenny Army Depot this week is completing layoffs of 244 contracted employees as announced in January, a depot spokeswoman said. The layoffs occurring this week are not associated with the federal budget cuts known as the sequester, according to depot spokeswoman Lindsay Bryant. Instead, demand decreased for an Army Humvee program, Bryant said. “The workforce was resized to meet the workload,” she said. The depot, which employs up to 4,000 people, is anticipating additional layoffs and furloughs related to the sequester.

Spring Mills High School is set to be dedicated Aug. 7, but Berkeley County's fourth public high school is expected to be finished well before then, Berkeley County Schools Superintendent Manny P. Arvon said Tuesday while giving a tour of the school. Hallway clocks displayed the correct time during the tour, basketball backboards were installed in the main gymnasium and cafeteria equipment in the kitchen appeared practically ready for food service. The cafeteria and every other room visited Tuesday had yet to be furnished, but Arvon said all of the remaining work is expected to be finished by June 1, if not sooner.

Rockland Woods Elementary School recently participated in a one-month reading challenge. Students were challenged by media specialist Pamela Rubisch to read 4,444 books as a way to celebrate her 44th birthday.  Tracking sheets were given to students who were told to write down every book they read for one month to see if the school could break the goal.  By the end of the month, students read 11,063 books and were rewarded with a  birthday costume...

Troop 412 of Hagerstown completed its first camping trip since becoming a troop at Sinoquipe Scout Reservation on Feb. 22 to 24. Actvities included hiking, cooking, map reading and compass use.