Dismissal

Ousted Washington County economic development executive director Timothy R. Troxell said Monday that the county's decision seemed to be about politics, not performance. Troxell, who was dismissed by the county on Wednesday after nearly 10 years as Hagerstown-Washington County Economic Development Commission executive director, issued a statement Monday describing the dismissal and criticizing the county for a series of EDC-related actions he called “detrimental to the department's mission.” The statement and a subsequent phone interview marked Troxell's first public comments about the dismissal.

tarar@herald-mail.com HAGERSTOWN - The Parent-Child Center's board of directors dismissed its executive director last month, causing the postponement of the annual telethon that raises money for child abuse prevention, board President Vince Dellaposta said Tuesday. "The board just decided to do that," Dellaposta said in a telephone interview. He said a motion was made at February's board meeting to dismiss Executive Director Millie Lowman. He said there was little discussion.

The discovery of 21-year-old investigative documents related to accusations of sexual abuse from 1973 has prompted the State’s Attorney’s Office to ask a Washington County Circuit Court judge to reconsider his decision to dismiss an indictment against a Hagerstown man. On March 17, Judge W. Kennedy Boone III granted a motion by defense attorney Alan L. Winik to dismiss the indictment against Thomas F. Funk because his rights to due process had...

HAGERSTOWN - The Washington County Commissioners and dispatcher Robert Myerly filed a motion on Wednesday in Washington County Circuit Court to dismiss a complaint against them from the mother and fianc of a woman who died from pregnancy complications. The 23-count complaint, which was filed March 2, alleges that bitterness over a dispute between the ambulance company and Smithsburg Volunteer Fire Co., where Christina Lynn Hess and her fianc, Danny A. Gibson, were volunteers, resulted in the deaths of Hess, 20, and her unborn baby on March 5, 2003.

CHARLES TOWN, W.VA. - The changing face of Jefferson County government continued to evolve Thursday when former longtime county planner Paul Raco accepted a dismissal agreement that says he will resign from his job April 6, Jefferson County commissioners said. After a closed-door meeting that included the county commissioners, Raco, Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney Michael D. Thompson and Raco's attorney, Commission President Frances Morgan announced the agreement had been reached between the commissioners and Raco.

Freeman's lawyers seek dismissal of trespassing case The lawyers for the Hagerstown man who was charged with trespassing on Dec. 23 while protesting the Washington County Commissioners on a bench outside the county administration building filed a motion Wednesday to dismiss the case. The motion argues that the public trespassing statute under which Lawrence H. Freeman was charged violates both the Fourth Amendment and the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution. "Article 27, Section 577A, as enacted, is repugnant to the constitutional principles of the due process of law," the motion says.

martinsburg@herald-mail.com MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - Roy Davis paced the halls outside the Berkeley County Commission's meeting room Thursday, while his recent dismissal as the county's community service director was discussed in the room behind closed doors. Davis was prohibited from attending the executive session, and was not given the chance to comment afterward during the "Items from the Public" portion of the commission's agenda. "I'll go apply for unemployment tomorrow," Davis said after the meeting.

Attorneys argued in court Friday whether a lawsuit over the death of a former Smithsburg fire company volunteer and her unborn baby should be dismissed. After more than an hour of oral arguments, Washington County Circuit Judge M. Kenneth Long Jr. did not offer a decision, but pledged to have one in writing "as promptly as I can. " Four years after Christina Lynn Hess, 20, died from complications connected to her pregnancy, her mother and her fianc are suing a variety of entities and individuals over their roles in the emergency medical response.

HANCOCK -- Patients of a popular doctor known to make house calls are protesting his dismissal from the Tri-State Community Health Center in Hancock. "We've been putting the word out and asking people to let members of the board know how much Dr. (Matthew) Hahn and his practice mean to the community," said Sinclair Hamilton, a Hancock councilman who has helped generate an e-mail campaign. Hamilton and Larry Springer, both patients of Hahn, said he was given 90 days when he was dismissed about a week ago before he has to leave his job. Hahn, the center's medical director, declined to comment Tuesday.

Berkeley County Public Schools 2002-2003 Calendar Aug. 26 Opening day - classes begin Sept. 2 Labor Day - no school Sept. 16 Early dismissal Oct. 11 Early dismissal Oct. 14 No school Nov. 5 Election Day - no school Nov. 11 Veterans Day - no school Nov. 26 Early dismissal Nov. 27-29 Thanksgiving break - no school Dec. 20 Early dismissal Dec. 23-Jan. 1 Christmas holiday - no school Jan. 17 Early dismissal Jan. 20 Martin Luther King holiday - no school Feb. 17 Early dismissal March 21 Early dismissal March 24-28 Spring break - no school April 18 Early dismissal May 23 Early dismissal May 26 Memorial Day - no school June 3 Last day of school for students - early dismissal

A Hagerstown woman was sentenced this week in Washington County Circuit Court to six years in prison - three for distribution of cocaine and three more for neglect of a minor, according to court records. Kelly Lynn Cruz, 38, formerly of 139 High St., entered the pleas in separate cases Tuesday before Washington County Circuit Judge Donald E. Beachley, court records said. In exchange for the plea, other drug-related charges in the two cases were dismissed, court records said. On Oct. 9, 2012, and again on Nov. 27, the Washington County Narcotics Task Force used a confidential informant to make $200 purchases of crack cocaine from Cruz at her home, according to the application for statement of charges.

Citing a recent state Supreme Court decision, Berkeley County Circuit Court Judge Gray Silver III on Monday dismissed felony murder charges against two men in the 2008 shooting death of a man at the former Orioles Club on Mid Atlantic Parkway. Dale E. Knight, 26, and Donzell W. White, 27, also were indicted on charges of first-degree robbery and conspiracy in connection with the death of Kenneth E. Waybright. Those charges are pending. Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney Pamela Games-Neely told Silver she intended to appeal his decision to the state Supreme Court of Appeals.

The following area schools and school systems were dismissing classes early Friday due to snow: Maryland • Washington County Public Schools will dismiss classes two hours early. All evening activities are canceled. • Frederick County Public Schools will dismiss students two hours early. Morning pre-k students will remain at school for dismissal with full-day students. Afternoon pre-k and Career and Technology Center classes are canceled.  Afternoon CTC students will remain at their home schools until dismissal.

A judge has ruled that Berkeley County Sheriff Kenneth Lemaster did not violate a deputy's privacy when he forced him to undergo a drug screening last year because the officer's duties involve public safety and providing for the safety of others. Senior Status Circuit Judge Thomas W. Steptoe dismissed the lawsuit that originally was filed against the sheriff and Berkeley County Council by Deputy Michael L. Buracker in June 2011 because the plaintiff “failed to state a claim upon which relief can be granted,” according to a five-page order filed Aug. 31. Steptoe cited state and federal appellate court opinions in granting the defendant's motion to dismiss the case.

Closing arguments will be presented and jury deliberations will begin Thursday in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas in the case of a Chambersburg man charged with the 2010 shooting death of his son, but the jury will not be able to consider a verdict of first-degree murder. Jerry D. Rowe, 57, is charged with criminal homicide in the Oct. 16, 2010, death of 27-year-old Nathaniel Rowe at their home on Duncan Avenue. Criminal homicide includes first- and third-degree murder and voluntary and involuntary manslaughter.

The Berkeley County Council voted 3-2 Thursday to reverse a previous split decision to lay off a litter control assistant that they hired in June. The reversal came after the county learned last week that the state abandoned an abrupt funding cut planned for an employee subsidy program that was used to hire Lewis Shifflett. Information technology analyst Donald Dechalus, who also was hired through the program in January, also will remain on the county payroll after the county council voted 4-1 to continue to his employment.

Working proactively with existing businesses, targeting restrictive state regulations and formulating a  “capture strategy” to attract new companies are areas where Washington County officials hope to improve economic development efforts, speakers said Wednesday morning. Held as part of the Hagerstown-Washington County Chamber of Commerce's “Eggs and Issues” breakfast at the Ramada Plaza Hotel, the presentation set an attendance record, chamber President Brien J. Poffenberger said.

Ousted Washington County economic development executive director Timothy R. Troxell said Monday that the county's decision seemed to be about politics, not performance. Troxell, who was dismissed by the county on Wednesday after nearly 10 years as Hagerstown-Washington County Economic Development Commission executive director, issued a statement Monday describing the dismissal and criticizing the county for a series of EDC-related actions he called “detrimental to the department's mission.” The statement and a subsequent phone interview marked Troxell's first public comments about the dismissal.

On Tuesday, the Hagerstown-Washington County Economic Development Commission hosted a festive dinner, celebrating milestone anniversaries of dozens of local businesses. After picking up plaques, honorees posed for keepsake photos with EDC Executive Director Timothy R. Troxell. The next morning, Troxell was told he was being dismissed from his job. County officials have declined to talk specifically about Troxell's departure, calling it a personnel issue. But some Washington County commissioners said they're looking forward to a stronger approach to economic development.

Timothy R. Troxell was dismissed from his position as executive director of the Hagerstown-Washington County Economic Development Commission Wednesday morning, according to county Commissioner John F. Barr. Barr would not disclose the reason for the dismissal, but said it was discussed by the Washington County Board of Commissioners in closed session and carried out by County Administrator Gregory B. Murray. Barr said Troxell was to inform his staff and clean out his office today, then vacate the office by Friday.