Homeless People

scottb@herald-mail.com The Washington County Free Library this winter is not having the problems it did last winter with homeless people spending time in the library, Executive Director Mary Baykan said Monday. Baykan credits the operation of a temporary day shelter for the homeless this winter with solving the problem that occurred last winter. Some patrons last year complained they were unable to find seats because of homeless people who spent all or part of the day at the public facility.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - Ten chronically homeless people with disabilities in Franklin and Fulton counties will get roofs over their heads and the services needed to keep them there with funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Pa., recently announced the $283,766 allocation from HUD's Continuum of Care program, which will provide a segment of the homeless population with housing for three years through the Franklin-Fulton Homeless Assistance Project.

ANNAPOLIS (AP) -- Sen. Alex X. Mooney, R-Frederick/Washington, is again pushing legislation to add homeless people to the list of those protected by hate crime laws. A Senate panel is scheduled to hold a hearing on the proposal Wednesday afternoon. Maryland law already calls for extra penalties for violent crimes against victims singled out because of race, religion, national origin or sexual orientation. In previous years, similar measures have failed after Democrats and Republicans alike split on the addition of homeless people to the list.

HAGERSTOWN --While many people have been able to seek relief in their air-conditioned homes, local homeless people found breaks from the heat by stopping at various shelters and public places. Jodie Stock, executive director of REACH, said traffic was up during July at the air-conditioned Day Resource Center at 140 W. Franklin St. REACH is an acronym for Religious Effort to Assist and Care for the Homeless. Compared to July 2009, shelter traffic was up by about 10 people a day, with 40 to 50 homeless people a day stopping by, she said.

ANNAPOLIS - In his push to broaden the state's hate crimes law, Sen. Alex X. Mooney on Wednesday showed his committee videotaped footage of youths beating up homeless people for sport. Mooney, R-Frederick/Washington, said a video known as "Bum Fights" is largely to blame for a rise in attacks on homeless people. Mooney objected two years ago when the state's hate crimes law was expanded to include sexual orientation. The law also prohibits crimes based on race, color, religious beliefs and national origin.

Cheryl Walkley had been feeling lackadaisical about her fourth night of sleeping in a cardboard box to raise awareness of Hagerstown's homeless problem. In past years she and other homeless advocates had weathered 14-degree cold, six inches of snow on the ground and a constant threat of rain. Besides, the plight of the city's homeless seemed to be under control with this month's opening of a permanent cold weather shelter. But as fate would have it, something happened to change Walkley's attitude just before the executive director of the Community Action Council left work on Friday.

Hagerstown Grace Brethren Church has housed an average of 25 to 30 homeless people at its Cold Weather Shelter during the past few frigid days, Pastor Dean Pryor said. The shelter opened last Sunday and will stay open until March 22. Pryor said the doors open at 7 p.m. each night for the homeless in Hagerstown, and each person is served a hot meal when they arrive. The shelter is in the church at 837 Spruce St. Area churches have been taking turns hosting the homeless during the winter.

By RICHARD F. BELISLE Staff Writer MONT ALTO, Pa. - A small group of Penn State Mont Alto students planned to brave Friday night's cold, rainy weather and sleep in shelters made from cardboard boxes to raise awareness of the plight of the homeless in Franklin County, Pa. The students also are collecting pledges of money for every hour they stay outside. It will be given to local nonprofit agencies that help homeless people, said the Rev. Frank Kocek, Protestant chaplain on the campus and leader of the cardboard city sleep-out.

Commissioners made right choice on rail trail To the editor: Thank you to the Washington County Commissioners for their decision to not support the Civil War Rail Trail at this time. In this time of no money for anything, would anyone want this project to go forward? When there are no homeless people, no hungry people, no unemployed people, no under-educated children, all infrastructure is up to safe standards, then it will be time to look at this trail. How can anyone hike or bike a trail knowing that all of these conditions exist?

The REACH Cold Weather Shelter has been close to full but not at record levels during the wintry weather over the past few days, the organization's executive director said Wednesday. There were 44 homeless people - 10 women and 34 men - who stayed at the shelter Monday night, Terri Baker, executive director of REACH, or Religious Effort to Assist and Care for the Homeless, said Tuesday. There also were 44 people who stayed at the shelter Tuesday night, she said Wednesday. While that is close to full, the shelter can still house a few more people, she said.

Two young Paramount Elementary School students have taken books read in class to heart, in a way that is helping others. Drew Lobley's kindergarten teacher Lucy Austin read “The Quiltmaker's Gift” by Jeff Brumbeau to the class. In the book, a generous quiltmaker sews the most beautiful quilts, then gives them to the poor. She helps a selfish king learn that giving is the true secret to happiness. That got Drew, the 6-year-old son of Andrew and Victoria Lobley of Hagerstown, thinking.

Most people knew Joan Brewer as “Grandma,” whether they were related to her or not. Family and home were her priorities. “Her caring extended beyond her family,” son Jim Acre of Smithsburg said. Joan was the third of six children of Michael and Lucy Arnone. She was born and raised in Eckhart, Md., near Frostburg, Md. Her father was born in Italy and came to the United States when he was 13. He lived with an uncle in the Frostburg area and worked in the coal mines. After her first marriage, which produced five children, ended after 15 years, Joan met and married the man of her dreams while waitressing in Hagerstown, said daughter Debbie Ward of Hagerstown.

Commissioners made right choice on rail trail To the editor: Thank you to the Washington County Commissioners for their decision to not support the Civil War Rail Trail at this time. In this time of no money for anything, would anyone want this project to go forward? When there are no homeless people, no hungry people, no unemployed people, no under-educated children, all infrastructure is up to safe standards, then it will be time to look at this trail. How can anyone hike or bike a trail knowing that all of these conditions exist?

It's not the life they imagined - living in a car, destitute and discouraged. They were once productive individuals, with the stability of a job and a roof over their heads. But then life took the nastiest of turns. The paycheck was gone, along with the house. And the reasons were more complicated than a sagging economy. There was a changing job market, to be sure. But there were health problems - both emotional and physical. There were rising expenses, unforeseen bills and an income that couldn't keep pace.

“People are complaining about homeless people at the post office. I heard the shelter makes them leave the shelter at 7 a.m., and then return at 7 p.m. My husband and I have often thought about this. Where do the people go for 12 hours? Where do you go if you're homeless and you just don't feel good, or sick? I know the shelter doesn't want them to stay there all day and not look for jobs. The other day it was so cold and windy ... you have to go to the bathroom. Then in the spring, the shelter closes.

The national point-in-time homeless count in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle will take place in Berkeley, Morgan and Jefferson counties from 4 p.m. Jan. 24 to 4 p.m. Jan. 25. The local count is sponsored by the Housing Work Group of the Health and Human Service Collaborative. Data collected are used to secure federal funding to prevent homelessness and to assist those in need, according to a news release from the organization. Volunteers are needed to work a two- or four-hour shift to assist homeless people to complete the survey.

Augmenting a recent presentation on downtown Hagerstown by city officials, the Hagerstown Police Department Tuesday provided a look at what officers are doing in the city center. Police Chief Arthur Smith, Capt. Mark Holtzman, Lt. Paul Kifer and Sgt. Kevin Simmers addressed the Hagerstown City Council, talking about issues ranging from crime statistics and the downtown police squad to auxiliary police and cameras. "I remember what the downtown looked like when I got here, and compared to now, there's a lot of progress," Smith said.

Despite a weather forecast that called for the mercury to dip to as low as 25 degrees Thursday night, Kelli Whitsell was committed to sleeping outside at Hagerstown Community College to bring attention the plight of the homeless. "I'm here, I'm going to do it," said Whitsell, noting that she had a sleeping bag, a few pillows, a blanket, a jacket and extra clothes to help her make it through the night. Whitsell was among about 40 students who were expected to participate in a homelessness awareness effort at the school's student center.