Grocery

Editor's note: This is the second in a monthly series about neighborhood grocery stores. In an era of the super-size supermarkets, Gordon Grocery is an anachronism. For starters, Gordon Grocery, known colloquially to patrons as Gordon's, looks like a general store in the middle of a residential block in Hagerstown's posh North End. Inside, the store is in a room wide enough to accommodate two aisles of dry and packaged goods, wine and beer, and a deli. The cashier's counter is at the store's front, middle seam.

Shopping with a grocery list can produce an annual savings of $500 to $1,000 — or more. Making a grocery list that follows a store layout can reduce repeat trips up and down the same aisles, impulse purchases from those aisles and the time required to complete a shopping trip.  Develop a master grocery list by category and aisle of a grocery store that you shop frequently. Every week or two, print and post the list in a central location — such as on the refrigerator door — so that all your family members can add items, as needed to complete the list.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. -- Military families may purchase discounted groceries Saturday and Sunday during a sale sponsored by the West Virginia National Guard. The sale will be from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Martinsburg National Guard armory, at 2096 Kelly Island Road in Martinsburg near the 167th Airlift Wing's base. The armory is the home of West Virginia's 157th Military Police Co. The sale will feature fresh meat and produce, household cleaning and personal-care items, canned goods, snacks, pet food, water and sports drinks, and a variety of nonperishable goods.

ekm Inspirations Norine Dagliano, a professional resume writer, job search coach and owner of ekm Inspirations, recently gave a presentation at the National Resume Writers Association's annual conference in Annapolis. Dagliano's topic was "Don't Fear the Federal Resume. " The presentation provided conference attendees from around the country with an overview of the federal application process, including how to develop a federal resume and KSA package. Giant Food Stores CARLISLE, Pa. - Chuck Shank has been promoted to director of operations and merchandising for District 2 of Giant Food Stores LLC. Shank, a Clear Spring resident, will be responsible for the overall operations, merchandising and customer satisfaction of the 11 stores in District 2, which covers southern Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia.

Convoy of Hope will be held in Hagerstown Saturday, Sept. 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Fairgrounds Park, off Cleveland Avenue. The carnival-like event will include the giving away of approximately 30,000 pounds of groceries. The event will also include a job and health fair, family photos, live entertainment with prizes and giveaways, hot lunches, access to dozens of community resources and organizations and a children's fair with inflatable games, entertainment and food and prizes.

o If you like reading Tim Rowland, you'll love watching him. See what else Tim has to say I'd never seen such a vivid rainbow, so I really can't quibble. But why did it have to be shining so brightly over a strip shopping center? And would we even have seen it if it weren't for Shake 'n Bake? Even toy farming has its ups and downs. It can make all but the most exceedingly pious man paranoid, convinced the Lord is up in heaven purposely steering every rainstorm around your land so that everyone else's fields are drenched, while you don't get squat.

"Why don't they take, say, $2,000 each year out of the tip jar money and put it into a fund for the Little Leagues? Once teams get past the state tournament - up until that time they're on their own - they could draw out of this fund, responsibly and reasonably. After all, this is taxpayers' money. Also, I'd like to see The Herald-Mail print the receipts and the usage from the $10,000 that was used last year by the Federal Little League. After all, this is taxpayers' money and should be of public knowledge.

Less than two years ago, I would not pay more than 99 cents for a 64-ounce bottle of apple juice. I could have paid more if I'd picked up any brand any place, but with a flip through flyers or a trip to a discount store, I could find a price I liked. Now the grocery shopping game has changed. If I wait to find apple juice for 99 cents, I might never drink it again. Grocery prices have risen throughout the past year. The best price I've seen in months for a bottle of apple juice was $1.49.

TRI-STATE -- Today, they oversee a large jail, work in law enforcement, treat children, spearhead business growth, are a retired judge, advise farmers, and lead youth, Realtors and government. But ask them a simple question -- Growing up, what was your favorite summer job? -- and the decades fade away, taking them back to a time when they were teenagers. For this summertime story, The Herald-Mail contacted several Tri-State-area grown-ups whose names will be familiar to many.