Cumberland

 "American Idol" finalist Bucky Covington and others will perform a Cabin Fever benefit concert at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, April 27, at Allegany County Fairgrounds in Cumberland, Md. A family fun day will precede the concert from noon to 3 p.m. The concert will benefit Tri-State Zoological Park in Cumberland. Tickets cost $20 to $25. Call 301-759-0550 or go to www.woodsetter.com .

Lynn and Rick Bibbee's story is one of hope and heart. It's a story about caring and compassion and taking dedication to a whole different level. It's about putting their efforts into preserving a place where all of God's creatures, big and small, exist in harmony. It's about saving a zoo. A few years ago, the Hagerstown couple didn't even know Tri-State Zoological Park existed in Cumberland, Md. - despite the fact that they had lived there for many years. But during a visit to the area last March, Rick Bibbee picked up a local magazine and spotted a discount coupon for admission to the zoo. When he returned home, he shared the information with his wife and the two decided to make it a destination.

Could old No. 202, the Western Maryland steam engine that's been parked in Hagerstown's City Park for more than 30 years, ever run the rails again? The folks at the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad in Cumberland believe it can, and they're seriously negotiating for the long-time lease or purchase of the 1912 locomotive. John Long, the structural engineer who privately financed renovation of the engine in the mid-1980s, says he's willing to listen, but isn't is favor of the idea now. Ed Kemmet, general manager of the Cumberland group, emphasized that negotiations are only in the "very, very early stages" right now, although his group has sent letters to every major elected official in Hagerstown and Washington County.

HAGERSTOWN Former Cumberland Mayor Frank Nethken said he was "driven by the Lord" to run for Congress this fall. "God told me I'm going to be the next congressman," Nethken said Monday on the steps of Hagerstown City Hall, where he held a press conference to say he is running as a Republican for Congress in Maryland's 6th District. In a 15-minute speech, Nethken, who served as Cumberland's mayor from 1978 to 1982, talked about a variety of issues from the state of Cumberland's public square to the war in Iraq.

Serving aboard U.S. Coast Guard cutters was not a good fit for David Cooper and his queasy stomach. “It wasn't the pitch, it was the roll that did it,” said Cooper, 67, who retired Saturday after a long career flying helicopters for the Coast Guard for nearly 18 years, then 15 more years in Maryland State Police helicopters in Cumberland, Md. One day on a rescue mission, a Coast Guard helicopter flew over his cutter on its way to the rescue....

Jolee Younger, 66, of Cumberland, Md., died Thursday, Oct. 11, 2012, at the Western Maryland Regional Medical Center in Cumberland. Visitation will be Saturday from 10 to 11 a.m. at Adams Family Funeral Home, Cumberland. A memorial service will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at the funeral home.

About 50 area postal workers ignored Sunday afternoon's windswept cold to protest plans by the U.S. Postal Service to close mail processing plants in Martinsburg and Cumberland, Md., and to end Saturday mail delivery. Postal union members from the Eastern Panhandle; Washington, Allegany, Garrett, Frederick and Carroll counties in Maryland; Winchester, Va., and Baltimore joined the protest in front of Ryan's Grill Buffet and Bakery on Foxcroft Avenue. Phil Jones, president of the American Postal Workers Union Local 513 in Cumberland, was one of several spokespeople at the rally, dubbed Save Your Post Office.

Boyd Ayers "Barney" Mason, 87, of Cumberland, Md., and formerly of Hagerstown, died Tuesday, July 21, 2009, at Allegany Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Cumberland. Visitation will be Monday from 7 to 9 p.m. at Upchurch Funeral Home, Cumberland. Services will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be in Rocky Gap Veterans Cemetery, Flintstone, Md.

Gladys M. Smith Winterstine, 93, of Hagerstown and formerly of Shaft, Md. and Cumberland, Md., died Thursday, June 30, 2011, at NMS Health Care, Hagerstown. The family will receive friends Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Scarpelli Funeral Home, Cumberland. The service will be Tuesday at 1 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be in Hillcrest Memorial Park, Cumberland.

Grace Hull Hamilton, 66, died Friday, May 22, 2009, at Western Maryland Hospital Center in Hagerstown. Friends will be received Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Scarpelli Funeral Home, Cumberland, Md. The service will be Wednesday at 1 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be in Sunset Memorial Gardens, Cumberland.

The school system's got milk - from low-fat to fat and lactose free - in a variety of flavors. Chocolate is the favorite milk flavor of students in Washington County Public Schools, followed by vanilla, according to the school system's Food and Nutrition Services Supervisor Jeff Proulx. Washington County Board of Education members, who were about to vote on a contract for a milk supplier, asked Proulx about the vanilla flavoring and the sugar in flavored milk during a May 7 school board meeting.

Harold Douglas "Doug" Parker, 60, of Hagerstown, died Friday, May 10, 2013, at Meritus Medical Center in Hagerstown. Services will be private. Burial will be at Sunset Memorial Park. Arrangements are by Adams Family Funeral Home, Cumberland, Md.

Leonard “Lenny” Eugene Fleegle, 59, of Hagerstown, Md., passed away on Sunday, April 28, 2013, at his home. Born April 19, 1954, in Cumberland, Md., Lenny was the son of Patty Lou (Klingler) Fleegle, Waynesboro, Pa., and the late Guy Eugene Fleegle. A United States Army veteran, Lenny was formerly employed at Golden Tissue. Besides his mother, he is survived by his sons, L. Alexander Whitten-Fleegle and Eric Fleegle; and his grandson, Eric Wallech, all of Hagerstown. Lenny also leaves behind his sisters, Darla F. Robbins and husband, Ron, of Pasadena, Md., and Carla R. Fleegle, of Hagerstown; his brothers, John L. Fleegle, of Greencastle, Pa., and Lawrence K. Fleegle, of Hagerstown; and his former wife and friend, Vera Whitten-Fleegle.

John Sylvester Kennedy, 76, of Cumberland, Md., passed away Sunday, April 28, 2013, at Western Maryland Regional Hospital in Cumberland. Born Feb. 23, 1937, in Hagerstown, Md., he was the son of the late John F. and Catherine I. (Ricketts) Kennedy. He was a 1956 graduate of Hagerstown High School. John had worked for Dow Jones in Silver Spring, Md., and was a machinist at The Herald-Mail for more than 20 years. John retired in 2001 from Canteen, where he repaired vending machines.

Dianna Heim, author of “Cumberland Valley Barns,” along with Phillip Schaff, photographer for the book, will be speaking at 2 p.m. Thursday, April 25, at the Grove Family Library, 101 Ragged Edge Road. The event is sponsored by the Franklin County Historical Society-Kittochtinny and is open to the public.

Lynn and Rick Bibbee's story is one of hope and heart. It's a story about caring and compassion and taking dedication to a whole different level. It's about putting their efforts into preserving a place where all of God's creatures, big and small, exist in harmony. It's about saving a zoo. A few years ago, the Hagerstown couple didn't even know Tri-State Zoological Park existed in Cumberland, Md. - despite the fact that they had lived there for many years. But during a visit to the area last March, Rick Bibbee picked up a local magazine and spotted a discount coupon for admission to the zoo. When he returned home, he shared the information with his wife and the two decided to make it a destination.

DelFest will be Thursday, May 23, through Sunday, May 26 at the Allegany County Fairgrounds. This year's lineup features more than 28 bands including two sets from the Trey Anastasio Band.   DelFest originated from the desire to create a family-friendly music festival celebrating the  legacy of Del McCoury's music, while creating a forum for musical collaborations and to showcase new talent with a down-home feeling. DelFest will also feature music from the Del McCoury Band, Old Crow Medicine Show, Yonder Mountain String Band, The Masters of  Bluegrass, Keller Williams with More Than a Little, Leftover Salmon, and more.  The complete lineup is available at Lineup.Delfest.com .  For more information, go to DelFest.com . 

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.

 "American Idol" finalist Bucky Covington and others will perform a Cabin Fever benefit concert at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, April 27, at Allegany County Fairgrounds in Cumberland, Md. A family fun day will precede the concert from noon to 3 p.m. The concert will benefit Tri-State Zoological Park in Cumberland. Tickets cost $20 to $25. Call 301-759-0550 or go to www.woodsetter.com .