Gold

What's up with gold? Mostly, the price. Right now, a troy ounce of gold is worth more than $1,800. Just two years ago, it was $950, a spike of nearly 90 percent. Gold has always been a store of value in uncertain times. And we definitely are in uncertain times. Because of its rarity, gold holds its value whereas a paper money system is subject to inflation and depreciation.   Gold measures the real value of goods. In real terms, gasoline prices are lower now than in the 1920s.

HAGERSTOWN -- Jackie Adams, the 2009 Women's National Duckpin Association Bowler of the Year, added another championship to her resume Sunday by outscoring 10-time tour winner Andrea Lanahan in the final match of the Duckpin Olympics at Dual Lanes. Adams beat top-seeded Lanahan 154-122 to top off a weekend that included Adams' induction into the WNDA Hall of Fame on Saturday evening. Adams won $5,000 and a gold medal for her victory, while Lanahan took the silver and $2,500.

Members of the Clear Spring FFA Chapter in Maryland were among 42 teams participating in the National FFA Environmental and Natural Resources Career Development Event (CDE) at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. The event was held in conjunction with the 84th National FFA Convention in Indianapolis. The team, led by adviser Susan Lowery, was awarded a Gold emblem. Members also competed for individual awards with 163 other participants. Kenneth Carrier received a Silver emblem, Jordan Davis received a Gold emblem, Todd Welch received a Gold emblem, and Chance Younker received a Gold emblem.

Emily Ward spread her arms out high over her head and smiled gloriously as she reached the finish line a safe distance ahead of those pursuing her. The North Hagerstown junior finally was a state champion, and she couldn't have been more thrilled - or more relieved. After finishing a disappointing third at the Maryland Class 3A state meet on Feb. 19 in the 1,600-meter run - in a race in which she tripped, crashed to the track and had to fight her way back for bronze - Ward returned to the track later that evening for the 800-meter run. And she wasn't about to be denied this time, as she blasted away from the field in the second half of the race to capture her first state title in a personal-best time of 2:23.51.

Raven Jackson finally captured gold. The North Hagerstown senior won the Class 3A girls triple jump at the Maryland State Track & Field Championships on Friday at Morgan State University. Jackson's winning mark of 36 feet, 4 1/2 inches came on her second of six attempts. Albert Einstein's Anna Ucheomumu was the runner-up at 36-1 1/4. Last year at states, competing in Class 2A, Jackson placed second in the long jump and third in the triple jump, after placing second in both jumps as a sophomore.

THURMONT, Md. - Joey Kilby of C.F. Kolb in Thurmont took first place in the Compact Skid Loader event at Power Expo 2005, winning a gold buckle and $500 in the Henry Dunn Insurance Power Equipment Rodeo. The event was held in November at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, Pa. Riders competed in five events: The Caterpillar Skid Steer, Hustler/Power-Pro Equipment Zero-Turn Mower, Tractor Loader, Compact Skid Loader and Compact Excavator. Henry Dunn Insurance is a business insurance brokerage specializing in the landscape contracting and nursery industry.

Tate Armstrong says he thought one of his friends was playing a joke on him when he received a letter from Hagerstown inviting him to serve as grand marshal of the 74th Alsatia Mummers' parade. After talking to members of the Alsatia Club and learning about the tradition of a hometown-all-American-everybody-come-out-to-watch parade, he's honored and excited, and he'll be here Saturday, Oct. 31. --cont. from lifestyle -- Armstrong was born Michel Taylor Armstrong and says he'll never forgive his mother for using the French spelling that led to his getting in a few skirmishes growing up in Houston.

SMITHSBURG -- Still savoring his victories at the Dwarf Athletic Association of America National Games in New York City, 12-year-old Evan Eckenrode needed little encouragement to show off the gold medal, three silver medals and one bronze medal he won during the competition earlier this month. "Last year, I just won a silver medal in volleyball," said Evan, of Smithsburg. This year, the boy earned gold in soccer, silver in volleyball, basketball and softball throw, and bronze in the 40-meter dash.

Royal Rangers Outpost 258 of Emmanuel Chapel in Smithsburg held its Bronze Medal Achievement ceremony for recipients Nathaniel Laye and Jacob Kelley on Oct. 19. To receive the bronze medal, recipients must earn at least 15 Bible merits, four gold merits and four blue, green or red merits.

Boonsboro's Nick Seabright and South Hagerstown's Hayley Freeman both went out with a bang, as both seniors had monumental days at the Maryland State Outdoor Track & Field Championships on a blustery Saturday at Morgan State University. Seabright won Class 1A gold medals in the 110-meter hurdles (15.13 seconds) and 300 hurdles (41.23) and silver in the pole vault (13 feet) and 4x100 relay (44.30). “It was stressful, very stressful,” Seabright said. “My heart was pounding, but I guess it's good to be nervous.

Boonsboro's Nick Seabright and South Hagerstown's Hayley Freeman both went out with a bang, as both seniors had monumental days at the Maryland State Outdoor Track & Field Championships on a blustery Saturday at Morgan State University. Seabright won Class 1A gold medals in the 110-meter hurdles (15.13 seconds) and 300 hurdles (41.23) and silver in the pole vault (13 feet) and 4x100 relay (44.30). “It was stressful, very stressful,” Seabright said. “My heart was pounding, but I guess it's good to be nervous.

While weather ultimately prevailed, Washington County athletes still managed to win a pair of Class 1A titles during Day 1 of the Maryland State Track & Field Championships at Morgan State University on Thursday. Boonsboro's Ethan Allnutt, Bryan Letendre, Sean Snyder and Josh Testa won the boys 4x800-meter relay,  and Smithsburg's Emma Gerhold won the girls pole vault, before the meet was suspended due to thunder, lightning and heavy rain. Events that weren't completed will be finished Saturday, starting at 10 a.m. - an hour earlier than the final day of the meet originally was scheduled to start.

Area residents can try their hand at panning for gold when geologist Jeri Jones leads a fossil-hunting field trip from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 4. The trip is sponsored by Renfrew Institute in partnership with the Franklin County Rock & Mineral Club. Pans and mineral collection containers will be supplied, and anyone who has a sluice box may bring it along. The trip also includes stops at the Vulcan Materials quarry in Buckeystown, Md., and the Specialty Granules quarry in Blue Ridge Summit, Pa. Those joining the trip should bring collecting gear such as buckets, hammers and newspaper, and wear clothing appropriate for digging fossils.

After coming home empty in 2010, the Smithsburg High School band program brought back two first-place trophies, a second-place trophy and an individual award this year from its trip to Disney World. The marching and jazz bands brought home gold trophies for best of show among all performers at Festival Disney, a competition at Disney World open to concert bands, marching bands, jazz ensembles, orchestras, vocal ensembles, show choirs and auxiliary units. The concert band brought home a silver trophy for second place.

Emily Ward spread her arms out high over her head and smiled gloriously as she reached the finish line a safe distance ahead of those pursuing her. The North Hagerstown junior finally was a state champion, and she couldn't have been more thrilled - or more relieved. After finishing a disappointing third at the Maryland Class 3A state meet on Feb. 19 in the 1,600-meter run - in a race in which she tripped, crashed to the track and had to fight her way back for bronze - Ward returned to the track later that evening for the 800-meter run. And she wasn't about to be denied this time, as she blasted away from the field in the second half of the race to capture her first state title in a personal-best time of 2:23.51.

Jake Reynolds, who won a gold medal in alpine skiing at the 2013 World Winter Special Olympics in South Korea less than a month ago, was at Whitetail Resort in Mercersburg, Pa. on Monday for the start of the Special Olympics Maryland 2013 Winter Games to try to pick up another medal. “I just liked winning,” said Reynolds, a 20-year-old from Cumberland, Md. “I've worked out with a lifting coach at home, and we ski every Thursday night.” Reynolds was scheduled to compete in the alpine skiing event during the 28th Special Olympics Maryland 2013 Winter Games.

In an event that will not only promote running and the Community Free Clinic but also encourage people to stay in downtown Hagerstown for events such as “A Night at the Opera,” city and county officials Thursday afternoon formally announced this year's St. Patrick's Day Run for Your Luck 5K foot race in Hagerstown. The March 16 race, which attracted about 400 participants last year, raises money for the Community Free Clinic, which provides free medical care for under-insured people.

North Hagerstown and South Hagerstown competed in the Maryland Class 3A West Indoor Track & Field Championships on Wednesday evening at the Baltimore National Guard Armory, and Hubs junior Emily Ward left with a pair of region titles. Ward prevailed in the girls 800- and 1,600-meter runs. “We just went out and said, 'OK, we want to have a good showing and run our race and make sure we qualify for states,'” North coach Brian Myers said. “Winning was a bonus, basically.” The top four finishers in each event automatically qualified for the state championships Feb. 19 at Prince George's Sports & Learning Complex in Landover.

Hannah Violet of Ambasador Girl Scout Troop 40652 from the Pleasant Valley area recently completed the requirements to receive her Gold Award.  The Gold Award is the highest award in Girl Scouting. For her Gold Award Project, Hannah spent more than 85 hours of planning and coordinating a dance for the Life Skills students (special needs), along with the Unified Sports Athletes from all of the Washington County Public Schools.   The dance, held May 24, was attended by more than 60 students, parents, grandparents and teachers.  Next Dimensions restaurant in Funkstown donated its facility for the evening.   An “Under the Sea” theme welcomed students, who danced the night away to music donated by the DJ services of Amplified Entertainment.  Each student in attendance took home a decorated bottle filled with sand and seashells.

Spring Mills Primary School - Berkeley County's first “green” school - was awarded gold certification through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program, officials announced this week. Less than 1 percent of all LEED projects in the nation are awarded gold certification or higher for incorporating substantial energy efficient and environmentally friendly features, architect Gregory A. Williamson told the Berkeley County Board of Education Monday night. The school, which also is the state School Building Authority's first green school project, received the LEED certification for notable reductions in energy, lighting, water and material use, according to the architect and school officials.