Internet

Within the next two years, 30 million adults will search the Internet for health content. While many topics appeal more to one sex than the other, about equal numbers of men and women seek out pharmaceutical and drug information online. About one in four disease-related searchers join an online support group. Cancer is the most frequently sought disease category, followed by heart disease. One of the foremost trends of the 1990s has been the marked increase in self-reliance in all areas of American life.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - Maryland State Police have begun undercover Internet sting operations similar to the one that resulted in the arrest last month of a Martinsburg businessman. [cont. from front page ] The 10-member Computer Crimes Unit uses police investigators posing as children to visit chat rooms they believe might attract pedophiles, said Detective Barry Leese, who heads the unit. "We pose as youngsters and see if someone wants to latch onto us," said Leese.

For the first time, the Maryland comptroller's office has charged someone with trying to sell cigarettes over the Internet, a spokeswoman said Friday. In a press release, the office said it filed two misdemeanor and two felony charges against James Kevin Morgan. Morgan, 47, is listed as living at 15602 National Pike in Washington County, said Christine Duray, a comptroller's office spokeswoman. Authorities said they confiscated 300 packs of untaxed cigarettes from Morgan on Friday.

The Hagerstown City Council gave approval, in an unofficial vote, to a timetable that would establish a March 15 public hearing on bringing wireless Internet capabilities to the city and a possible April ordinance presentation. City Light Department Manager Michael S. Spiker said the Broadband Over Powerline and Fixed Wireless Initiative would bring wireless Internet to city residents. Spiker said, despite the concerns of many amateur radio operators, the service would not be operating in the exact frequency being used by them.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - A list of 14 Berkeley County sex offenders was made available on the Internet Wednesday afternoon, a state police official said. West Virginia State Police had planned to post the list on their Internet site Tuesday morning but were unable due to a technical difficulty, State Police Sgt. Tom Barrick said. The list is now available at www.wvstatepolice.com or by contacting the State Police Sex Offender Registry at 725 Jefferson Road, South Charleston, WV, 25309.

With the help of the Internet, the tedious task of applying for a business license could become a lot easier in Washington County. To obtain a business license, a person must go to at least six different state and local agencies for approvals, according to Dennis J. Weaver, clerk of Washington County Circuit Court. Under the new program, Weaver's office will collect information and fees required from applicants. The clerk's office will then e-mail the relevant agencies for approvals and issue the license.

by Ric Dugan / staff photographer see the enlargement Internet sending W.Va. kids to governor's mansion MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - Fourth-grader Trevor Herbert wants to know how big Gov. Cecil Underwood's mansion is. Later this month, he and his classmates at Valley View Elementary School near Martinsburg may find out. The fourth-grade class at Valley View won an Internet scavenger hunt in a competition with the other fourth-grade classes in Berkeley County.

ANNAPOLIS - Purposely surfing the Internet on someone else's wireless connection, without permission, would be a crime under a bill Del. LeRoy E. Myers Jr. presented Tuesday. Myers, R-Washington/Allegany, said his bill is meant to clarify intentional theft vs. accidental use. He told the House Judiciary Committee that one of his neighbors, after buying a new laptop computer, got onto the Internet, thinking it was through a cable TV hookup. Actually, the connection was through Myers' home wireless Internet system.

NEW YORK (AP) -- A college recruiter on probation for posting pictures of his nude wife on the Internet and inviting strangers to join her in a rape fantasy is under arrest again -- on the same charges. The Queens man was taken into custody by state police in Chambersburg, Pa., where he had checked into an inn. Pennsylvania authorities were alerted by the Queens district attorney's office, which monitored his activities. The man was first arrested in 2006, when authorities say he pretended to be his wife while posting her nude photos and soliciting men to join her in the fantasy.

Every time you search the Internet or shop online you can help the Humane Society of Washington County by using a new Yahoo-powered search engine at www.good search.com . GoodSearch.com donates 50 percent of its revenue, approximately one cent per search, to the charities designated by its users. Users search the Internet as they would with any other search engine and the pennies add up. Internet shoppers also can help the humane society by using Goodshop.com, www.goodsearch.