Expressions

Michael Scott Butts, 48, of Broadfording Road in Hagerstown, died from cancer on Monday, Jan. 2, 2012, at his home. Born on April 16, 1963, in Martinsburg, W.Va., he is the son of Janet L. Dove of Winchester, Va., and the late Boyd B. Butts. He was preceded in death by his brother, Lawrence Butts. Michael was an avid horseman, and owned and operated Antietam Farms in Keedysville, Md., for 16 years. Most recently, he was employed with TE Connectivity in Waynesboro, Pa. In addition to his mother, he is survived by his daughter, Lititia G. Butts of Hagerstown, and his former wife, Jennifer S. Baker of Keedysville.

Area residents had mixed reactions Monday to the news that North Korean leader Kim Jong Il had died of a heart attack at age 69. Ronald Mickelinc of Martinsburg, W.Va., said Kim's death works out much better for the people of North Korea. “(Kim) was a mass murderer and he was crazy,” Mickelinc said. “Maybe they won't be selling nuclear weapons to other countries, and maybe they'll start feeding their people.” Ty Jaouni of Hagerstown said that although things might change, North Korea could remain a problem.

Washington County middle and high school students of the arts have all-county events. Why not elementary school? For a time, the quietly recurring question among elementary school circles went without a satisfying answer, said Robert B. Hovermale, Washington County Public Schools' supervisor of visual and performing arts. Saturday night, the answer burst forth in an exciting flurry of song, dance and visual expression at Washington County Public Schools 2011 Elementary Arts Festival.

I grind painfully as I listen to persons who are in their own corner of religion, so to speak, persons who claim from their own faith summit that their view is better than another's. The truth is, faith's many paths proceed toward the same summit.  The reknowned Christian scholar in world religions, Huston Smith, writes: “To claim salvation as the monopoly of any one religion is like claiming that God can be found in this room but not the next, in this attire but not another.”    Truth is one, not many.

Proposed traffic-calming measures on Summit Avenue met with some concern Monday from affected residents. “We don't want to give up the use of our property,” Cindy Vaverchak said. “It seems like a safety issue to me,” added Charles Stockslager. After about an hour of discussion, members of the Historic City Park Neighborhoods 1st group, which petitioned for control on the street, and the residents appeared to have reached a compromise. At the neighborhood group's request for a solution to speeding on Summit Avenue, the city proposed adding a small traffic circle at the intersection of Summit and Reynolds avenues, and to add two medians in the 600 block of Summit Avenue to slow traffic.

A standing-room-only crowd showed up at the Eugene C. Smith Community Center Tuesday night, mostly because of the ongoing debate about how to offer recycling in Washington County. Kristin Bowl, one of a handful of residents who spoke about the importance of recycling in a meeting between the Washington County Board of Commissioners and the Boonsboro Town Council, expressed frustration about a lack of expanded recycling services in the county - especially since her kids are taught in school how to "reduce, reuse and recycle.

June Virginia Hornbaker, 90, of 11 W. Baltimore St., Hagerstown, died Saturday, July 16, 2011, at Meritus Medical Center, Hagerstown. Born June 1, 1921, in Berkeley Springs, W.Va., she was a daughter of the late Albert and Berna Shockey Mason. She was a member of St. Andrew United Methodist Church, Hagerstown; the Women's Auxiliary for the Military Order of the Cooties, No. 21; and the Women's Auxiliary WD Byron Post No. 1936, VFW. Surviving are her children, Shirley J. Lloyd of Smithsburg and Wade M. Hornbaker of Hagerstown; grandchildren, Kathy M. Coyle and Charles E. Lloyd Jr., both of Smithsburg; as well as great-grandchildren, Austin L. Pogue, Christopher A. Sarver, Dakota S. Coyle, John F. Coyle IV and Kyle A. Disandro.

Friday, July 1, 2011 YOUTH TRACK & FIELD Several members of the local Mountain Express club team qualified for nationals at last week’s AAU Area 4 Junior Olympic National Qualifier at South Hagerstown High School. The national championships begin later this month in New Orleans. The top five finishers in each event — and top four in each multi-event — advanced. The Mountain Express’ qualifiers included: GIRLS Primary (Born in 2003 and after)

Why endure a long wait in an emergency room for a simple case of the sniffles or a bad strain, when MedExpress officials say their clinic can have you on your way quickly without denting your pocketbook?  The newest urgent care, walk-in clinic located at 1048 Lincoln Way East, in Chambersburg, Pa., opened May 19, with hours from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week. "At MedExpress, we are committed to exceeding patient expectations," said Dr. Frank Alderman, chief executive officer of MedExpress.

Smithsburg Mayor Mildred "Mickey" Myers presented the following certificates of appreciation to four people during a town council meeting Tuesday night:     Donald "Chris" Murray honored for his consistent help with the town's annual spring cleanup day. Don Bradburn for faithfully raising an American flag every day for many years at the town's former library at 20 E. Water St. The building now houses the Smithsburg Historical Society....