Food Court

Cindy's Sweets & DeLite-ful Treats, a dessert shop at Valley Mall in Halfway, reopened with a store inside the mall last week after being housed in the food court since July. The shop moved out of its location at the front of the mall facing Halfway Boulevard to make room for Cafe Rio Mexican Grill, according to Valley Mall marketing director Michele Wills. Cafe Rio plans to open in October, and sports bar Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery will follow by the end of the year, Wills said.

Visitors to Valley Mall on Saturday had the opportunity to chat with both alpacas and local politicians as the mall combined a farm weekend with a "meet and greet" with the Washington County Commissioners. While constituents talked budgets and agendas with the commissioners at a booth near the food court, children squealed over a miniature horse, rabbits, alpacas and a 2-day-old calf set up in pens in a vacant store next to Old Navy. The animals were visiting the mall as part of a Kids Ag Venture Weekend organized by the Washington County Farm Bureau.

Contestants for this year's Miss Maryland pageant checked in Sunday at Valley Mall, a ceremonial kickoff to the annual competition. Master of ceremonies Thomas B. Riford, president and chief executive officer of the Hagerstown-Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau, read aloud the name of each contestant, the local pageant she won, what her pageant platform is and what talent she will display. The women stepped up to the makeshift stage at the mall's food court, signed their names on a map of the state and introduced themselves to the crowd.

Fire reported at former Lowe's warehouse Hagerstown Police Department officers responding to a security alarm Thursday night at the former Lowe's warehouse on Wesel Boulevard found a small fire made from firecrackers in the vacant building, Sgt. David Long said. Long said that officers discovered that the rear warehouse front door was broken into. Officers put the fire out within five minutes of responding to the call, Long said. Fire empties food court at Prime Outlets A small fire at the Great Steak and Potato Co. caused minimal damage, but emptied the food court at Prime Outlets for a while Saturday.

The following musical events are planned by Washington County Public Schools. More events are scheduled later in the month: Today - Williamsport High School Sophisti'Cats' Performance for the Ladies of the Elks and Associates, 7 p.m. Today - Springfield Sixth-Grade Chorus and Riversong, 7:30 p.m. Today - Boonsboro Middle School at Valley Mall, 7 p.m. at Food Court. Tuesday - Williamsport High School Sophisti'Cats' Performance for the Women's Auxiliary of Funkstown American Legion, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday - Northern Middle School sixth-grade Advanced Band and sixth-grade Symphonic Band Concert, 7 p.m. Tuesday - Hancock High School Drama I Class Play, "A Mall and the Night Visitor.

The three-screen theater in Valley Mall closed after Thursday night's screenings so construction can begin on a new wing to include a 16-screen megaplex, officials said. The three screens were operated by Carmike Cinemas. R/C Theatres of Reisterstown, Md., will operate the new megaplex, which could open by August 1999 if this winter is mild, said Wayne Anderson, chief operating officer. The $43 million mall expansion will include a food court and a Hecht's store, mall officials have said.

Occupy Martinsburg will host a free foreclosure workshop Saturday, April 7, from 2 to 5 p.m. in the community meeting room near the food court at the Martinsburg Mall. An attorney and other advisers will be present to provide homeowners with information they can use to protect themselves from foreclosure. The workshop is intended to make homeowners facing foreclosure aware of their rights and options, and how the foreclosure process works.

HARRISBURG, Pa. - The 2008 Pennsylvania Farm Show will be held at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg Jan. 5 to 12. This year's theme is "Presenting: Pennsylvania Agriculture, New Ideas for New Markets. The show will start at 8 a.m. and run through 9 p.m. each day except Jan. 12 when the show ends at 5 p.m. The farm show is free. There is a $5 charge for parking. There will be plenty of food available at the food court.

The Hagerstown Suns is hosting its annual national anthem auditions from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 10, at Valley Mall, Valley Mall Road, Halfway. All performances must be a capella and only traditional renditions will be considered for selection. Registration opens at 9 a.m. at the food court.  For more information, call the Hagerstown Suns at 301-791-6266, or for advance registration go to at www.wayz.com .

The mother of a 2-year-old child was charged with reckless endangerment Friday morning after her child was found alone in a vehicle at the Prime Outlets Hagerstown parking lot, the Washington County Sheriff's Department said. Prime Outlets had opened at midnight for Black Friday, and the child was found at about 2:45 a.m., crying inside a locked car that was not running, deputies said in a news release. Emergency workers opened the vehicle, which was parked in a lot near the food court at Prime Outlets.

A cake and pie contest and auction is Friday, March 15, at Valley Mall stage at the food court, 17301 Valley Mall Road, Halfway. Cakes and pies may be entered at 6 p.m.; judging is at 6:30 p.m.; and the auction is at 7:30 p.m. There are two age groups: ages 18 and younger, and ages 19 and older. Entrants can enter more than once and in cake and pie categories; cake or pie must be on disposable plate or pie plate; refrigeration will not be available; and entries must be wrapped in foil.

Building for Hunger is a charity event involving local schools and area businesses. The event is a partnership with the local Washington County Hunger Group, Valley Mall, participating schools, sponsoring businesses, and of course, the local community supplying canned and boxed foods that will be donated to the Maryland Food Bank - Western Maryland Division (formerly Food Resources Inc. Donation bins for nonperishable boxed and canned food items...

Cindy's Sweets & DeLite-ful Treats, a dessert shop at Valley Mall in Halfway, reopened with a store inside the mall last week after being housed in the food court since July. The shop moved out of its location at the front of the mall facing Halfway Boulevard to make room for Cafe Rio Mexican Grill, according to Valley Mall marketing director Michele Wills. Cafe Rio plans to open in October, and sports bar Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery will follow by the end of the year, Wills said.

Contestants for this year's Miss Maryland pageant checked in Sunday at Valley Mall, a ceremonial kickoff to the annual competition. Master of ceremonies Thomas B. Riford, president and chief executive officer of the Hagerstown-Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau, read aloud the name of each contestant, the local pageant she won, what her pageant platform is and what talent she will display. The women stepped up to the makeshift stage at the mall's food court, signed their names on a map of the state and introduced themselves to the crowd.

Open Arms Christian Child Development Center will hold an open house Saturday, March 24, from 9 to 11 a.m. The center is an outreach of Concordia Lutheran Church, 17906 Garden Lane.  There are openings for the fall in classes for children who are either 3 or 4 years old by Sept. 1.  For more information, call 301-797-5955, or go to concordia-hagerstown.org.   Ag events at mall Kids Ag Ventures, presented by the Washington County Farm Bureau, will be held at Valley Mall this weekend.

Occupy Martinsburg will host a free foreclosure workshop Saturday, April 7, from 2 to 5 p.m. in the community meeting room near the food court at the Martinsburg Mall. An attorney and other advisers will be present to provide homeowners with information they can use to protect themselves from foreclosure. The workshop is intended to make homeowners facing foreclosure aware of their rights and options, and how the foreclosure process works.

The Hagerstown Suns is hosting its annual national anthem auditions from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 10, at Valley Mall, Valley Mall Road, Halfway. All performances must be a capella and only traditional renditions will be considered for selection. Registration opens at 9 a.m. at the food court.  For more information, call the Hagerstown Suns at 301-791-6266, or for advance registration go to at www.wayz.com .

1. Songs, singalongs and a holiday show The Hagerstown Municipal Band's Christmas concert  will perform at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18, at The Capitol Theatre, 159 S. Main St., Chambersburg, Pa. The All-American Christmas Show features soloists, an audience sing-along and a visit from Santa Claus. Tickets are $5 to $20. For tickets, call 717-263-0202 or go to www.thecapitoltheatre.org . 2. Hanging out with Mrs. Claus Decorate gingerbread houses with Mrs. Claus from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17, at The Country Inn at Berkeley Springs, 110 S. Washington St., Berkeley Springs, W.Va.

As you read this, I likely will be out there among the people. I've run out of excuses, so I'm jumping into the Black Friday fray today. Maybe because I haven't done the Black Friday shopping thing in six or seven years, I'm saying to my wife, “Let's go out there and have some fun.” Huh? Yeah, what could be more fun than being on your feet for hours, waiting in line with people - some of whom are smelly and a little scary - that you don't know? Pushing and shoving - and even running - for the hot toy that is only three bucks less than it will be on Tuesday, when no one is in the store.

As shoppers hit the stores well before dawn on Black Friday, a number of area eateries will be open to give them a place to refuel. When it comes to a much-needed caffeine or food boost on the largest shopping day of the year, Monica Jones, a spokeswoman for Sheetz Inc., said all area Sheetz stores will be open. “Twenty-four-seven, 365,” she said. “Sheetz never closes.” Starbucks on Garland Groh Boulevard will open at 4 a.m., an employee said. The coffee shop normally opens at 5 a.m. Numerous restaurants are also adjusting their hours to coincide with the special shopping hours of Black Friday.