Guidelines

Pending the sale to Washington County, the former U.S. Army Reserve property in the city of Hagerstown has emerged as the likely site of a new countywide senior citizens' center. On Friday, the Washington County Commission on Aging's property committee submitted a letter to the county commissioners with a five-page list of suggested guidelines to be considered when the 4.6-acre property's main building is renovated into a senior center that the county has planned to build for years.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - The Chambersburg Borough Council on Wednesday unanimously approved new guidelines limiting day-care homes to a total of six child or adult clients a day. "There's not going to be any part-time care," Tammy Barnhart of Chambersburg said after the vote on the regulations. The office coordinator for Learning Tree Child Care, Barnhart said it may now be difficult to find after-school care for her 7-year-old son. Under the guidelines, providers are considered to be running day-care homes if they have between four and six children a day. Facilities with more than six children a day are deemed child-care centers and not allowed in residential areas.

BARDANE, W.Va. - The Jefferson County Health Department on Friday issued tetanus shot guidelines for those in flooded areas of West Virginia. "You are not at risk for tetanus just because you have been in or around flood water," Nancy Stolipher, registered nurse, said in a press release. "Individuals with deep, dirty wounds should receive a tetanus shot if it has been more than five years since their last tetanus shot. Anyone with a clean, minor wound should receive a tetanus booster if more than 10 years has passed.

Washington County Public Schools has issued a reminder about guidelines pertaining to summer activities such as practices for band and sports. In a press release from the school system, Ed Masood, supervisor of Fine Arts, Health and Physical Education, and Athletics, said the guidelines are in place to ensure the health, safety and welfare of students participating in outdoor extracurricular activities during the summer. The following guidelines are to be followed for all Washington County Public Schools summer activities involving students: · No student activities are allowed on school property when the school system is closed, unless authorization has been requested and approved prior to the activity.

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - The Jefferson County Commission approved a set of guidelines Thursday on how government officials should conduct themselves despite objections from one member who said they were unnecessary. The guidelines were drawn up by Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney Michael D. Thompson after a county employee told the commissioners recently that one of the commissioners acted toward him in threatening manner. At a recent commission meeting, Thompson read through the proposed guidelines, which made suggestions such as the commissioners providing "harmonious workplaces" for employees.

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - The president of the Jefferson County Commission said Thursday she was furious over proposed guidelines on how the commissioners should conduct themselves while in office and proclaimed that she was not going to be "the den mother" for the group. Some members of the commission wanted the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney's office to come up with the guidelines after a county employee told the commissioners recently that one of the commissioners acted toward him in a threatening manner.

Hospital lingo: What do patient conditions mean? By KATE COLEMAN / Staff Writer Hi. How are you? "Fine, thanks. How are you?" That's the typical answer to a general inquiry about someone's health. People don't usually reply, "Serious," or "Critical. " But those are words hospitals use to describe patient conditions. You've read them in the newspaper. You've heard them on the radio. What do they mean? Tri-State area hospitals - Washington County in Hagerstown, Chambersburg and Waynesboro in Franklin County, Pa., City, Jefferson Memorial and War Memorial in West Virginia - follow American Hospital Association guidelines for releasing information on the condition of patients.

The Community Foundation of Washington County plans to announce next week an endowment challenge to benefit local nonprofit organizations. Details and guidelines still are being worked out, according to Executive Director Brad Sell, but a news conference to announce the Waltersdorf/Henson $10 million Endowment Challenge has been scheduled for 4 p.m. Thursday. The Community Foundation exists to encourage philanthropy, Sell said. Charitable donors establish endowments for nonprofit groups, and the foundation invests and manages the money.

SHARPSBURG - New architectural guidelines meant to protect the Town of Sharpsburg against extremes will take effect on March 1, Town Attorney Charles Wagaman said Wednesday morning. Town Council members voted 5-0 on Monday night to adopt the new guidelines, said Mayor George Kesler. Councilman Russ Weaver was absent. About eight people attended the final public hearing on the proposal Monday night, he said. One of the changes under the newly approved law will be new maximum and minimum setbacks for strictly residential dwellings.

Cub Scout Pack 34 members Christopher Rowan, Jared Boppe, Henry Macias and Henry Warrenfeltz recently finished the requirements to receive their God and Family Awards. The program blended family and spiritual guidelines through a six-lesson session in which the theme was a progressive building of a model pizza. Pizza crust represented the foundation of the family upon God, the sauce represented family and spiritual heritage, the toppings represented each family members' talents and gifts, and the cheese represented rules and guidelines for family living.

Some people might think that goals have a definite timeline to accomplish. This is partly true, but there are certainly ways on how you can speed up the process. You can achieve more great things by focusing on the current job and getting it done, without any compromise. Here are some guidelines from the experts that you can use yourself. Step 1: Forming a team Things can be accomplished more quickly if you rely on other people and assign tasks accordingly. When forming a team, it is important that you choose individuals whom you can trust and are truly competent in the fields you assign them to. Teams need to be supervised to ensure that you get the results you want.

A local Scouting official said the organization will respect whatever decision is made when the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America votes this spring on whether to open membership to gays. On Feb. 6, the national group decided to postpone a vote on the matter until May. Mark Barbernitz, Scout executive of the Mason-Dixon Council of the Boy Scouts of America, said earlier this month in an email that his organization would follow membership guidelines in accordance with national BSA policy.

Pending the sale to Washington County, the former U.S. Army Reserve property in the city of Hagerstown has emerged as the likely site of a new countywide senior citizens' center. On Friday, the Washington County Commission on Aging's property committee submitted a letter to the county commissioners with a five-page list of suggested guidelines to be considered when the 4.6-acre property's main building is renovated into a senior center that the county has planned to build for years.

Brunswick High School senior Drew Howard has already been named prom king once this year, but he might get a second shot on Saturday. Unhappy with the music and restrictions on dancing at their April 27 prom, Howard and seven other students are staging Prom 2.0 at the Brunswick City Park Building. About 150 students have already purchased tickets, Howard said. “This is basically a rebel kind of dance,” Howard said. Attendees will not sport prom dresses and tuxedos; the theme is “police-ish,” complete with caution tape draping the walls as students give themselves an opportunity to dance the way they like.

Singers ages 15 to 19 are invited to audition for the 2012 Washington County Free Library Teen Idol Competition. Auditions will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15, at Port City Java in Long Meadow Shopping Center, off Potomac Avenue, Hagerstown. Auditions will also be from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, at in the Bon-Town court, Valley Mall, Valley Mall Road, Halfway. Visit Teens@Washington County Free Library for audition rule and guidelines at www.washcolibrary.org . For more information, call 301-739-3250, ext. 126.

To paraphrase the aphorism about alligators and draining the swamp, it's easy to forget, when quarreling with a child about eating vegetables, that this little person or adolescent is someone you love. Ellyn Satter, author of "Secrets of Feeding a Healthy Family," said it's important for parents to remember this larger context. "I tell parents to stow their agenda," she said by phone when being interviewed for this series. "Have the meal be pleasant. Make conversation about something other than food.

Maryland Comptroller Peter V.R. Franchot voted last week against a solar farm lease in Washington County, questioning why the state didn't seek a share of federal money the project could receive. Gov. Martin O'Malley and Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp, the other two members of the state's all-Democrat Board of Public Works, voted in favor of the 20-year lease for Maryland Solar LLC. Franchot voted no. After the July 27 meeting, Raquel Guillory, a spokeswoman for O'Malley, wrote in an email that, under the terms of the federal energy project program, a state can't receive any of the money.

The Board of Directors of the Washington County Arts Council announces that the 2012 Community Arts Development grant guidelines and application now available at www.washingtoncountyarts.com   or by calling Mary Anne Burke at 301-791-3132. Awards are made possible through the Maryland State Arts Council's Community Arts Development.

The 2010-11 Washington County Public Schools Handbook and Guide includes two pages of charts that feature disciplinary guidelines for violations of school regulations. The charts list a range of disciplinary actions for several student offenses in elementary, middle and high schools. Offenses listed include cheating, alcohol-related offenses, bullying, cutting class, drug-related offenses, bomb threats, disrespect, fighting, firearms, inhalants, physical attacks on students or teachers, sexual activity, sexual assault, tobacco-related offenses, vandalism and several others.

Washington County and the City of Hagerstown have provided the following information about Christmas tree disposal. Washington County residents will be able to recycle Christmas trees at no charge at county solid-waste facilities. Christmas trees, with all lights, ornaments, nails, etc., removed, will be accepted from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily from Dec. 27 to Jan. 31, excluding holidays. A two-tree limit will be observed. Trees are being accepted at the following sites: • Forty West Landfill, 1 mile west of Huyett’s Crossroads off U.S. 40 on Earth Care Road • Greensburg Convenience Center, 13125 Bikle Road • Hancock Convenience Center, 6502 Hess Road • Kaetzel Convenience Center, 2926 Kaetzel Road • Dargan Convenience Center, 2201 Dargan School Road The program, authorized by the Washington County Commissioners, is a service of the Division of Environmental Management.