Herald

In The Herald-Mail's world series of food contests, Carla Cardello is going two for two. In April, the McConnellsburg, Pa., resident's chocolate-and-coconut-flavored cupcake was the winner of our 2012 Cupcake Contest. This month, of the 17 entries in The Herald-Mail's 20th Cookie Contest, Cardello's recipe was selected by judges as the winner. Her entry was, um, a chocolate-and-coconut-flavored cookie. "I didn't even mean for it to be that way. It really was a coincidence," Cardello, 25, said with a laugh.

Birthday Today - Robert Rohrer, Security Road, Hagerstown, turns 87.   To submit a milestone to The Herald-Mail, mail the information to The Herald-Mail, P.O. Box 439, Hagerstown, MD 21741; fax it to 301-714-0245; or email tonym@herald-mail.com two weeks prior to the date.

The Herald-Mail is expanding “What's Wrong With This Picture?” Since 2009, the feature has provided a weekly look at safety problems, major annoyances and pet peeves under the direct control of local, county or state government. The new feature, now known as “Monday Breakdown,” will have a broader scope. We will continue to welcome the same types of submissions from readers as before. But now, we also will seek answers to questions of many more types. Any question that starts with “Why...?

A truck went onto the sidewalk and knocked over a street light on Summit Avenue in front of The Herald-Mail building Thursday afternoon, Officer Scott Leeney of the Hagerstown Police Department said. Nobody was injured. The accident happened when the truck's brakes were not working, and to avoid hitting the vehicle in front of it, the driver of the truck drove onto the sidewalk, hitting the light, Leeney said. Police were directing traffic going down Summit Avenue into The Herald-Mail parking lot Thursday afternoon at 3:35 p.m.   The accident was reported at 3:18 p.m., Leeney said.

The question: A reader contacted The Herald-Mail wondering why firetrucks and firefighters were gathered at Fairgrounds Park in Hagerstown on Oct. 22 for what appeared to be an athletic game. The reader wrote that firetrucks are at the park often and also have been seen in nonemergency situations at other places around the community, such as a grocery store. The response: Doug DeHaven, Hagerstown's acting fire chief, said the city's professional firefighters usually go to Fairgrounds Park for about 60 to 90 minutes a day for physical training.

Sometimes, it's childhood memories that are most scary. A feeling of helplessness at the doctor's office. A scary portrait on the wall that seems to watch as you pass. These were two of the inspirations of winning authors in The Herald-Mail's 2012 Scary Story Contest. Ashley Hutson, 29, of Sharpsburg, is the grand-prize winner of the Scary Story Contest. She wins the top prize of $50. Ethan Fulton of Hagerstown is the winner in the children's division with his story, "The Thing in the Woods.