Financial Aid

Hagerstown Community College will host a free financial aid seminar titled, "You Can Afford College," on Thursday, Feb. 5, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Kepler Theater on the HCC campus. The seminar is intended for Washington County public high school students in 11th and 12th grades, but juniors and seniors from all schools, including home-schooled students, are welcome. Seminar topics include simplifying the concept of paying for college, sharing a general financial planning strategy for dealing with college costs and showing how the financial aid process can relate to real-life family situations.

Welcome to the Halfway neighborhood Halfway just keeps on growing. The area added another new addition to the neighborhood over the holidays - the Golden Corral restaurant. The restaurant opened for business on New Year's Day. It features a new Asian-themed Pagoda food station and a new Chocolate Fixation dessert station. The restaurant sits between Valley Mall and Target. Welcome to the neighborhood. Food drive Allegany Dental Care will host a food drive for Food Resources again this year.

Financial aid meeting to be held Thursday A financial aid meeting will be Thursday at Williamsport High School at 6:30 p.m. Angie Hovatter from Frostburg State University will discuss how to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form and offer other financial aid information. Girls and Women Sports Day Banquet Feb. 8 The annual Girls and Women Sports Day Banquet will be Sunday, Feb. 8, at Williamsport Fire Hall. This is a celebration for all girls and women who participate in sports in the Williamsport area.

Seasons greetings Hello to all ... hoping that the season finds you well. With all the hustle and bustle of gifts, cooking and visiting friends and family, I hope that you find time to enjoy the lights and the cheer of the season. New Year's Eve bingo Western Enterprise Fire Co. will host a New Year's Eve bingo event. Doors open at 5 p.m. at the fire hall on Wednesday, Dec. 31. Tickets can be purchased before 3 p.m. on Dec. 31 for $45; after 3 p.m. and at the door, tickets will cost $50. Admission includes a meal of roast beef, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, vegetable and a drink.

Council to introduce measure to give financial aid to developers The Hagerstown City Council on Tuesday voted 3-2 to introduce an ordinance to allocate $350,000 to fund the Upper Floors Redevelopment Revolving Loan Fund. The money will be used to give financial assistance to developers who are interested in rehabilitating the upper floors of buildings downtown. The funds will be available, among other things, for the installation of elevators, state accessibility-related requirements and fire protection systems.

That holiday feeling It's beginning to feel a tad like Christmas. We heard our first Christmas songs on the radio this week and if that doesn't start the holidays off right, then just call yourself Scrooge. It's time to dig out the holiday movies and begin planning and plotting for the season. Funkstown's Old Tyme Christmas is not too far off, the beginning of December, and there are still spaces available for the craft sale at the fire hall. If you want to participate in donations for the evening's festivities or reserve your craft space, don't wait too long.

Editor's note: As the presidential campaign winds to a close, both candidates are courting young voters. Staff writer Jennifer Fitch asked college students from schools across the Tri-State region if the candidates are making a good impression. Their answers will run through Friday in the Tri-State section of The Herald-Mail and will be published in the election section of our Web site. Sarah Emmel Age: 20 Hometown: Chester, Pa. College, year: Wilson College, junior 1)

South Hagerstown High School parents and students are invited to a workshop on "Planning for the Future and Beyond," sponsored by the South High Counseling Department, on Tuesday, Oct. 28, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the school's media center. Lori Parks-Murphy, SAT specialist for Washington County Public Schools, will discuss preparing for the PSAT, SAT and ACT, and how those tests relate to college admissions. Information about financial-aid planning for college will be presented by Carolyn Cox, director of student financial aid at Hagerstown Community College.