Homes

chambersburg@herald-mail.com CHAMBERSBURG, PA. - Led by single-family homes, construction boomed in Franklin County, Pa., last year, with the estimated value of building permits issued increasing by more than $100 million from 2003. Permits were issued for 1,132 single-family homes valued at $156.6 million last year, compared to 780 permits worth an estimated $92.6 million in 2003, according to figures from the County Tax Services Office. The total number of permits, including multifamily homes, additions, improvements and commercial and industrial construction was 4,685 with a value of $272.

Started in 2001, Mt. Tabor Builders, Inc. is a small, hands-on company that builds a variety of projects, employing experienced workers with backgrounds in many different trades. Owner Willie Eby learned about the building trade from his father, Henry Eby, owner of Henry Eby & Sons. Eby says his father is an honest, hard-working, Christian man. Mt. Tabor Builders, Inc. is a customer-oriented company that works with customers from the ground up. "We focus on quality workmanship," Eby said.

By GUY FLETCHER / Staff Writer photo: KEVIN G. GILBERT / staff photographer [ enlarge ] Until now, Victoria Smith has been a virtual prisoner in her own home. Suffering from a nerve disease and other medical conditions, she cannot walk without crutches. That makes it impossible for her to leave her Broadway apartment, and negotiate the steps in front of the building, without assistance. Smith, 47, said she once went three months without leaving the apartment, except for a few trips to the doctor.

Hagerstown destroys buildings that make it unique To the editor: First came the Roundhouse, then the home at Fox Deceived. the historic Kammerer house is gone. I am amazed at the lack of outrage from the people of Hagerstown over these events. People in California nearly riot when a tree is chopped down. They bring in the national media and protest the demise of the Spotted Owl. I can't imagine any other community in the country shrugging off the demolition of historic homes as if it meant nothing.

Motor-home owners appreciate a comfortable driving experience. After all, that's part of the reason someone choose a motor home, isn't it? Enjoying the ride, and getting there in comfort, is part of the fun of recreational vehicle travel. Workhorse Custom Chassis is a popular manufacturer of Class A motor-home chassis. The company has sold a variety of chassis models for many years and is well known to the motor-homing public for its practical, well-engineered products. Workhorse has recently introduced two new products that could dramatically improve the ride and performance of its gas-powered chassis models.

Danielle Hill, 14, is a sophomore at Clear Spring High School. She participated in the Ag Expo almost since birth, first in the baby parade and later in cooking, gardening and art. "My grandmother began to teach me how to cook when I was fairly young," Danielle said in an email. "I used to watch her making food in the kitchen, and I basically just tried to shadow what she did until I got it right. Now, I make things on my own and even add my own spin on it. " One chore of Danielle's is to make dinner for her family - Mom, Dad, her sister and herself.

The Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office said it was investigating a fire that caused $200,000 in damages to a house early Wednesday at 21201 Reno Monument Road near Boonsboro. The fire, which was reported by a passer-by shortly after 3 a.m., destroyed the house, according to a Fire Marshal's Office news release. Damages to the structure were estimated at $150,000. The fire caused $50,000 in damages to the contents. Authorities said 65 firefighters from Boonsboro, Sharpsburg, Middletown, Myersville, Wolfsville and Potomac Valley took 15 minutes to control the blaze.

A West Virginia woman died after the vehicle she was riding in crashed Wednesday on Apple Harvest Drive (W.Va. 45) southwest of Martinsburg, according to West Virginia State Police. The woman's name was not immediately released pending notification of next of kin, troopers said. The crash in the 8700 block of Apple Harvest Drive near Loop Road was reported at 5:11 p.m., a Berkeley County emergency communications supervisor said. The woman was thrown from the vehicle, troopers said.

The "crisis season" began Nov. 15 and runs through the end of March, but those who need help from the Maryland Energy Assistance Program to stay warm this winter will be waiting longer and receiving less. "Please note that due to decreased funding, your benefit will be less," the Office of Home Energy Programs advises on its website. The reduction and holdup in funding is a result of the federal government's lack of a budget, said Dave Jordan, executive director of the Washington County Community Action Council.

When Heidi Coble taught at Clear Spring High School, she took the students in her life skills class to Fairview Outdoor School to clear trails and clean the pond. After working, the kids would beg for these cookies as they walked back to the school. The kids were getting a treat that was really very good for them. Coble adapted this recipe from one on the Quaker Oats box for "Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. " She adjusted the recipe to make cookies more healthful, using less fat, less sugar and whole grain in place of white flour.