Ends

The 2012 Capitol Theatre Center's Be A Star! giving campaign officially ended with a $45,364 shortfall. However, as a nonprofit 501 (c)3 organization, donations to Capitol Theatre Center will be accepted into the new year. Any gifts received until the end of January will be listed in the 2012 campaign and any donations received from February on, will be recognized toward the 2013 Be A Star! campaign. This year's campaign goal was $125,000 and even though Capitol Theatre Center fell short of that, the staff and Board of Trustees remain thankful for the $79,625.

A multistate police chase ended in Cavetown early Friday when the fleeing car crashed into a house in the 22000 block of Goose Street, the Washington County Sheriff’s Department said. The incident began just after midnight when Washington Township (Pa.) Police attempted to stop a car in the area of 13321 Midvale Road in Rouzerville, Pa., according to a Washington Township Police Department press release. The car, a Nissan, fled and crossed into Maryland, according to the press release.

Thursday, Dec. 16 8 p.m. on NBC The Apprentice The season finally comes to an end, but not before some more tension and strife. But that's nothing (we think) to the one who finally hears "You're hired!"

FREDERICK, Md. - The finish line for the national Marion Jayne Air Race 1998 will be crossed today at the Frederick home of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. About 45 aircraft from 25 states are competing in the cross-country event, which offers prize money totaling $20,000. Racers departed Monday from Shreveport, La., on an 1,800-mile zigzag course to Frederick with stops in Tulsa, Okla., Memphis, Tenn., Litchfield, Ill., Dayton, Ohio, and North Wilkesboro, N.C. The majority of racers are expected to arrive at Frederick Municipal Airport between 1 and 2 p.m. today, but some may arrive as early as 9:30 a.m. The race is named for founder Marion P. Jayne, winner of 26 cross-country speed races, including two round-the-world events, before dying of cancer in 1996.

Liberty's Matt Anuszewski allowed just one earned run and banged a two-run single to lead the Lions to a 7-5 victory over South Hagerstown in the first round of the Maryland Class 2A West baseball playoffs. The Rebels ended their season 4-15. "We have fought back all year long," South Hagerstown coach Ralph Stottlemyer said. "We never had any real breaks, but you make your own breaks. We have had a rough season, but we did not give up. We always hung in there and kept trying hard together.

GOLF The first flight of the annual Siberian Open at Beaver Creek Country Club ended in a tie on Thursday, as the two-man teams of Rodger Grimm-Tim Steiner and Pat Pickett-Pat Steiner each finished at 77, beating out the team of Randy Cree-Bud Serig by two shots. In the second flight, the team of Brandon Hendrickson-Gene Kidd won with an 81 and Ryan Acre-Rod Steiner were second with 85. Dom DiMercurio-Tom Schleigh took the third flight with an 88 and Dixie McNaney-Vicki Grimm were second with 92. Overall, 42 players were in the Open, which is played with each player selecting three clubs to play the entire round.

Police in Pennsylvania pursued a vehicle into Washington County Monday night and had the vehicle stopped on Battletown Road off Leitersburg Pike, according to a spokesman for the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. The spokesman said he believes the vehicle might have crashed. Dispatchers were saying police had an individual in the vehicle held at gunpoint while backup help arrived, said the spokesman, whose department was called to help about 10:30 p.m.

by Kevin G. Gilbert / staff photographer Smithsburg hostage crisis ends By MARLO BARNHART and STEVEN T. DENNIS Staff Writers SMITHSBURG - A Cavetown man freed his estranged wife after holding her at gunpoint for six hours and surrendered two hours later, ending a standoff with police in downtown Smithsburg Tuesday. The siege at Hadley Farms bakery ended peacefully at about 12:20 p.m. after David William Trumpower said he wanted to see his sister and his two children, Washington County Sheriff Charles Mades said.

Wednesday, April 6 9 p.m. on NBC "The West Wing" Tonight's season finale comes earlier than usual, but not to worry. NBC has promised that "The West Wing" will return for a seventh season starting in the fall, and we'll find out whether Alan Alda, Gary Cole, Jimmy Smits, or a player to be named later will succeed Martin Sheen as president. 10 p.m. on MTV "Meet the Barkers" We're not sure how much they'll remind you of the Osbournes.

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Robert Word hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to break a tied game and lead Greensboro to a 4-2 victory over Hagerstown Saturday in the first game of a scheduled doubleheader, eliminating the Suns from the South Atlantic League Northern Division Wild Card chase. Hagerstown entered Saturday 3 1/2 games behind Lexington with four games to play and needed to close with a sweep for a chance to make it to the postseason. The loss - coupled with the rainout and cancellation of Saturday's nightcap - ended the Suns' dim hopes.

Williamsport's quest for a second straight Maryland Class 2A state baseball title was cut short Friday in the 2A West regional title game, as Catoctin defeated the Wildcats 5-1. “I think we were one or two plays away. A hit here, a pitch there and maybe this would have been a different ballgame,” said Williamsport coach David Warrenfeltz. “We ran into a team that played better than us and took advantage of opportunities that we didn't take advantage of.” The Wildcats (15-7)

Hagerstown planning officials have been presented with plans for a northwest connector road that would take motorists from the west side of the city to the North End. Such a bypass has been considered for decades, and at one point there were five different alternatives, according to City Engineer Rodney Tissue, who presented the connector road proposal to the Hagerstown Planning Commission on May 8. Tissue said the proposal calls for part of...

A Republican Washington County delegate, with help from Democrats, is mounting a challenge to the repeal of the death penalty, a measure that was signed into law by Gov. Martin O'Malley earlier this week. Neil C. Parrott, R-Washington, announced the start of a petition drive at a press conference in Baltimore on Friday. With him were Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger, a Democrat, and Sen. James Brochin, D-Baltimore County. “Life is extremely precious ... but, for example, if someone does something like the attack on the Boston marathon, they deserve the death penalty,” Parrott said, noting that the press conference was held not far from the finishing line of the Baltimore Marathon.

Under the lights of Municipal Stadium on Wednesday, Williamsport's baseball team shocked the MVAL Antietam world with a 7-4 victory over previously undefeated North Hagerstown. “The thing I was most proud of today was overcoming adversity,” said Wildcats coach Dave Warrenfeltz. “While we did make mistakes, we did a good job of overcoming those and retaking the momentum.” The Hubs (14-1, 9-1) got to Williamsport starter Riley Arnone early, as Austin Stone launched a two-run homer over the right-field wall in the top of the first inning.

The Washington Redskins' attempt to improve their biggest weakness centers on a player who needs to figure out when to take his chances. The reigning NFC East champions selected David Amerson of North Carolina State in the second round of the NFL draft Friday, a choice aimed at helping a secondary that ranked 30th in the league against the pass last year. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound cornerback set a single-season Atlantic Coast Conference record with 13 interceptions in 2011 and won the Jack Tatum Award as the nation's top defensive back, but his play regressed last year as he tried to do even better.

A bill that would provide support for the operation of MARC commuter train service in the Eastern Panhandle passed Saturday by a 98-1 vote in the House of Delegates on the last day of the West Virginia Legislature's 60-day session. The state Senate later concurred with amendments the House made to Senate Bill 103, which now awaits consideration by Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, according to an audio webcast streamed live on the Legislature's website. The bill creates a special fund in the state treasury and requires the state to negotiate agreements with Maryland or the Maryland Transit Administration for the continued operation of the service from Washington, D.C., into West Virginia.

Legislation aimed at eliminating “puppy mills” in West Virginia now awaits the signature of Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin. The House of Delegates, after a floor debate, voted 66-33 to pass Senate Bill 437, according to an audio webcast streamed live on the state Legislature's website. The vote came with only one day remaining in the 60-day regular session of the Legislature. The session ends at midnight Saturday, but area lawmakers are still hoping to push through legislation to support the MARC commuter train service, among other proposals.

The West End Senior Citizens will meet at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Grace United Methodist Church, corner of Church and Winter streets. The activity this month will be bingo. Each person attending is asked to bring a bingo prize so everyone will have a chance to win. For more information, call Dan Litten at 301-797-4852.   Lions Club scholarships High school students who live in Hagerstown's West End are eligible for college scholarships from the West Hagerstown Lions Club.

When a Thursday morning fire struck 12-year-old Malik Fall's Lanvale Street home in Hagerstown's West End, he was so overwhelmed, he didn't know what to think. Then, the reality began to sink in, in specific and practical ways. For one, Malik realized he wouldn't be able to take part in Saturday's West End Little League season-opening celebration and games. Though playing in Little League has been a tradition for Malik and his brother, Shamere Washington, 10, since they were 5, the two lost all of their baseball equipment in the fire.

The 2013 session of the Maryland General Assembly ends Monday, and local legislators were working last week to ensure final passage of some measures they had introduced. Bills introduced by local lawmakers that were on their way to becoming law included legislation that would give those who formerly were part of the Correctional Officers' Retirement System credit for accumulated sick leave at retirement, and another that would make it a crime to interfere with mandated reporting of suspected child abuse or neglect.