Hopefuls

The deadline for Sharpsburg mayoral and Town Council candidates to file for election is Oct. 16, Town Clerk Kimberly Fulk said Thursday. In addition to the mayoral post being up for grabs, a vacant council seat and the council seat of Jennifer Silbert are up for election, Fulk said. The deadline to file for candidacy is 30 calendar days before the election. The election is Nov. 15. Candidates may call Fulk or Election Board Chairwoman Anna Louise Jamison for candidacy papers.

Bob Maginnis Editorial Page Editor Friday, Jan. 24 was the deadline for signing up for this year's Hagerstown mayor and council races, and when Saturday rolled around, there were six vying to be the city's chief executive and nine seeking a seat on the five-member council. The March 11 primary is less than eight weeks away, so let's talk now about the issues that will be important. They include: - Candidates' experience. I want to know whether canddiates have ever drawn up a budget for anything other than their own households, or whether they've managed anything bigger than their own checkbooks.

Here they are... Miss America ho-o-pe-fuls. ... But first there is another hurdle to climb. Next week, 26 young women from across the state will converge on the Maryland Theatre in Hagerstown in hopes of emerging Saturday, June 29, as Miss Maryland 2002 and representing the Old Line State during the Miss America Pageant in September. Hosted by Miss America 1981 Susan Powell, contestants will participate in four phases of competition: Presentation and community achievement in interview; artistic expression in talent; presence and poise in evening wear; and physical fitness in swimsuit.

HAGERSTOWN -- Competition at the 2009 Miss Maryland Pageant got under way Wednesday night at The Maryland Theatre. The winners from Wednesday night's preliminary competition were Miss Historic Maryland Rachel Harkins, who won the newcomer talent award and the preliminary talent award in the Delta Group; Miss Allegany County Casandra Tressler, who won the preliminary swimsuit award in the Mu Group; and Miss Baltimore County Crystal Thomas, who...

MERCERSBURG, Pa. - The names of the candidates have not been released, but residents of the Tuscarora School District will get the opportunity later this month to meet and ask questions of the three contenders to replace outgoing Superintendent Thomas Stapleford. School Board President Jane Rice said she is following a Pennsylvania School Boards Association recommendation not to give out the names of the three people. However, each will be available during separate public meetings in the James Buchanan Middle School auditorium, she said.

WAYNESBORO, Pa. - Only two of the four candidates running for three seats on the Waynesboro Borough Council have a challenge ahead of them in the Nov. 6 general election. Republican C. Harold Mumma and Democrat William "Bill" Devlin are competing for the Second Ward seat, while Republican Ronnie Martin and Democrat Ben Greenawalt are running unopposed for the First and Third Ward seats. "I had been on the council before, two years ago, and I am scaling back my landscaping business that my wife and I do," Mumma said of his decision to run for the council.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - Franklin County Republicans got to see and hear from all seven of the GOP candidates for county commissioner Monday night at the annual Lincoln Day Dinner and, while a number of people voiced support for incumbent Bob Thomas, few were willing to say who they want to fill the other position on the November ballot. "It's interesting how it's going to split out," said candidate Carl Barton. "After Bob, I'm not sure there is a clear number two. " Commissioners G. Warren Elliott, a Republican, and Democrat Cheryl Plummer announced in February they would not seek re-election, leaving Thomas as the lone incumbent in the race.

Grading school board candidates: A citizens group looks at eight hopefuls Herald-Mail's Editorial Page Advisory Group has been in business for going on three years now, but the group's members decided early on that the most important topic - to them and to the community - is education, which they feel is insufficiently appreciated by many local students and their parents. During the last school board election two years ago, the group's members read everything published about all of the candidates - news stories, letters to the editor and questionnaire answers - and picked five candidates they felt would serve the system well.

Tuesday, Nov. 9 8 p.m. on CBS Country Music Association Awards Perennial favorites Brooks & Dunn host the 38th annual ceremony, shown live from the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. Alan Jackson leads the list of hopefuls with seven nominations. Kris Kristofferson will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. 8 p.m. on Fox "The Rebel Billionaire: Branson's Quest for the Best" Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, leads a bunch of would-be billionaires around the world on a trip designed to test their abilities to get rich.

Frederick, Md., unveils new park FREDERICK, Md. - The City of Frederick's Parks & Recreation Department announces the opening of Lake Coventry Park, 1321 Schaffer Drive. The park has a basketball court, 60-foot baseball diamond, playground equipment with swings, slide and tiny tot area, a pavilion with picnic tables, restrooms, electricity, seven benches, a drinking fountain, 16-space parking lot, handicap accessibility and walking and biking paths. For rental information, call the Recreation Department at 301-600-1493 or 301-600-1492.

Wednesday might have been Trish Riley's lucky day. “On a whim,” Riley, 47, made an atypical afternoon stop at Central City Liquors in Hagerstown to buy lottery tickets - a luxury she allows herself only three times a year. But when she does play the odds, Riley said she usually wins. Little did the Hagerstown resident know, she turned up in the store's lottery lounge for her tri-annual trip the day of the third-largest Powerball jackpot ever and the seventh-largest prize award of any lottery, according to the Associated Press.

Hagerstown Hopes will be from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 18, in the area around the Arts Pavilion at Doub's Wood Park, off Maryland Avenue. The theme of the 2013 festival is discrimination of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, & Questioning community. Speakers will talk about issues such as becoming a homeless teen because of sexual orientation and discrimination in employment or housing. Musical guests will include Lawren Hill and Lance Trussell, DJ JerrBear, and Shawn Nakia.

Officials hope to complete the first phase of the new public library building in Hedgesville, W.Va., by obtaining about $700,000 in financing through the Berkeley County Building Commission. Fundraising for the branch library continues, but the financing would expedite completion of the two-story building, Martinsburg-Berkeley County Public Library director Pamela Coyle said last week. The library system has asked the building commission to help facilitate financing because they are prohibited by law from borrowing the additional money, Coyle said.

Day of Hope will be from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 18, at  Wheaton Park in Hagerstown. Exhibitors are needed. Registration deadline is Tuesday, April 30. This event is open to everyone. There is free space available for those who wish to join the neighborhood flea market/yard sale portion. There will also be free services, free food, giveaways and a History of the Neighborhood contest with a chance to "Win Brother Andy's Money" for ages 7 to 14. For more information call 301-393-9290.

Temperatures in Hagerstown are flirting with daily record highs this week, and local residents took advantage of the warmest day of the year so far Tuesday just two weeks after more than 4 inches of snow fell on the city. Justin Blair of Hagerstown took to the one of the softball fields with his friends Tuesday morning at Martin L. “Marty” Snook Memorial Park in Halfway. He said he was not surprised by the dramatic shift from cold weather to warm weather in such a short period of time.

Brent Borreson could be spending the night partying with Sting. But instead of attending a celebration with the rock star on Saturday, April 13, he'll be in Hagerstown raising money to fight breast cancer. Borreson, a Redken global artist, will be the creative force behind An Evening of Hope-Fashion for a Cure, a hair-inspired event benefiting Breast Cancer Awareness-Cumberland Valley. The show is being sponsored by Bella Salon & Spa of Hagerstown, in partnership with The Maryland Theatre, where the fundraiser will be held.

Habitat for Humanity of Washington County celebrated its 20th annual Habitat Dinner Auction on Saturday at Hagerstown Community College's Athletic, Recreation and Community Center. Habitat Development Director Becca Burford said the group chose a theme of “Revive the Roaring '20s” to “tie in” the 20th anniversary of the event. About 400 people paid $45 per ticket to attend the casually festive fundraiser. Burford said she hoped it would raise around $60,000. Though many attendees opted not to dress befitting the theme, those who did went full-tilt '20s.

The University of Maryland football team is taking time out from its spring practice schedule for this commercial. Although it will be the 12th of 15 practices the Terps are allowed in the spring, this one is as much to promote the program as it is to prepare the players for the 2013 season. Maryland will be holding drills and a scrimmage at Middletown High School on Saturday at noon as the Terps work toward the annual Red-White scrimmage on April 12. It also serves as a chance for the Terps to reach out and touch their fans.

With less than two weeks remaining in the 2013 session of the Maryland General Assembly, Washington County legislators are banking on the passage of a measure cleared by a senate committee that would bring the county $1.55 million in fiscal year 2014 as part of a wealth-based grant known as the disparity grant. However, the prospect for success is uncertain, and the amount is less than the county would have received if it had remained eligible for a share of the grant. Additionally, prospects for passage of a House bill seeking relief are grim.   County lawmakers have been looking at various avenues in the General Assembly to get the county a share of the grant.

Andrew Potts is determined to become a cancer doctor no matter how many sleepless nights it takes. After staying awake for 24 hours at a time at seven American Cancer Society Relay for Life events, Hedgesville High School's senior class president should be ready for late night study sessions for medical school. “I'm sure it's taken years off my life, but it's well worth it for Relay for Life,” said Potts, 18, of Falling Waters, W.Va. Potts, who was recently recognized by the American Cancer Society for outstanding student leadership, said he hopes to get other young people to stay up with him at this year's relay, which is slated for June 1 at Martinsburg High School.