Easter Bunny

When my daughter first mentioned that she'd like to see the movie "Hop" the day that it opened, I was a little hesitant for several reasons. First, even though it was opening nationwide on April 1, I didn't know if it would open locally on the same day. I told her and her friends that we'd have to check the local listings a day or two in advance. Then, before I'd commit to taking her to the movie, I needed to read more about it. Would it be suitable? Would it be enjoyable? Would it be worth our hard-earned and limited entertainment dollars?

Tri-State area venues offer events for new year Resolve to leave boring family nights in 2010. Here are 20 ways to entertain your family in 2011. Enjoy! —Compiled by Tiffany Arnold Washington County The Maryland Theatre 21 S. Potomac St., downtown Hagerstown. For tickets, call 301-790-2000, or go to www.mdtheatre.org . • “The Music Man,” 8 p.m. Saturday Jan. 29. A con man poses as a band leader that hawks band gear and skips town once he’s got the cash, but love makes him willing to risk it all. • “We the People,” 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 23. Musical revue sets American civic lessons to rock, hip-hop and R&B in an attempt to make social studies exciting and accessible.

"The Pentagon has received over 170,000 signatures pleading with Obama and Holder to not hold the four Navy SEALs accountable for defending themselves against the killers of American contractors. SEALs get small salaries, hardest job in world, to defend a country whose president holds the military accountable for doing its job. Liberals don't like the military, but our SEALs deserve more than this. Terrorists were released and our guys have to face court martial. What an administration.

WILLIAMSPORT -- Pebbles Malloy noticed something different this year at the annual Williamsport Volunteer Fire and EMS Easter egg hunt. "I only got three eggs. I usually get a lot more," she said. "I think there were more people this year. " Pebbles, 9, of Williamsport, was right. "A lot more people showed up than anticipated," fire company president Jay Grimes said. "We had (3,000) eggs and they disappeared like BAM!" Fire company member George Nichols, 72, of Williamsport, said he has been to most of the egg hunts in the event's 30-plus-year history.

It's only a few days until the Easter bunny comes hopping into town with his baskets filled with goodies. The kids have already dyed their eggs, but they're complaining of being bored. Chocolate pops are an easy, relatively inexpensive and quick project you can do with your kids or give as Easter gifts during sunrise service. You'll need a bag of melting candy wafers; a 14-ounce bag yields about 1/2 cup of melted chocolate, enough to fill two mold sheets with four candies in each.

HAGERSTOWN -- Some children grinned in the presence of the Easter Bunny. Others shied away at first, but were coaxed to sit for a picture. The Salvation Army invited children, and adults who accompanied them, to lunch and an egg hunt in Hagerstown on Saturday. This is the third time The Salvation Army had an Easter weekend meal and the first time the Easter Bunny was there, Maj. Robert Lyle said. Organizers let the rainy weather roll off their backs; they moved the egg hunts inside.

Walk for Social Justice The walk will take 90 minutes to two hours. Each of seven stops will feature prayers. Begins at 1 p.m. today at Otterbein United Methodist Church, 108 E. Franklin St. in downtown Hagerstown; ends at Washington County Hospital. Sponsored by the Hagerstown Area Religious Council. Trains for everyone HO- and O-scale model railroads, trains for children to operate, historic railroad artifacts, photos and equipment. 1 to 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

o Read more Harry Nogle columns at washingtoncountyliving.com Pansy celebrates 90th Amelia "Pansy" Davis of Sharpsburg took a break from playing bingo long enough to celebrate her 90th birthday Feb. 15 at a dinner party given by her family at the Western Sizzlin' Steakhouse in Halfway. Pansy was born Feb. 13, 1919, in Hagerstown. Her husband, Warren Davis of Sharpsburg, died in April 2000. Congregations to plan grassroots organization Concerned neighbors from multiple congregations will meet Thursday, April 16, at 7 p.m. at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Sharpsburg to discuss the formation of a grassroots level organization dedicated to serving those in need in Southern Washington County.

Potomac Garden Club digs in at Town Hall On March 31, members of the Potomac Garden Club gathered at Town Hall. They brought plants, shrubs, shovels, rakes and buckets. They dug, mulched and planted in front of Town Hall. The members invite everyone to stop by Town Hall and enjoy the new flowers and plants. They plan to continue adding plantings throughout the summer and fall. The club's April meeting will be Tuesday, April 21, at 12:30 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church in Williamsport.