Iron

Gold and silver apparently are not the only "precious" metals in the world, at least in the eyes of area thieves. In fact, just about any item containing copper or any other increasingly valuable metal - from heat pumps and air conditioners to catalytic converters - continues to be a target for theft, according to law-enforcement agencies in Washington County and the Eastern Panhandle. Utility manhole covers, grates from car washes and items made with iron and steel also have been carted off to recycling facilities for quick cash, police said this week.

Sunday, August 7, 2011 GOLF Jeff Yingling recorded the first hole-in-one of his career Sunday at Black Rock Golf Course. Yingling, who has played golf for 52 years, used an 8-iron to ace the 152-yard second hole. His partners were Rob McCoy and Phil Kelly.

Hagerstown resident Bob Verdeyen, a member at Beaver Creek Country Club, will be on the golf course today with the usual morning gang of players. The burning question: Can Verdeyen make it three weeks in a row with a hole-in-one? Some golfers make holes-in-one left and right, some go forever without one, as I have. Many articles list the chances at 12,000 to 1 of making one. In each of the last two Sundays, Verdeyen has posted a hole-in-one, giving him three in his golf career.

Only two teams showed up for the first Iron Chef Burger competition Sunday at the Washington County Ag Expo & Fair Sunday. But it didn't matter. The two burgers up for judging were so fat, so stuffed with cheese and so mouthwatering that the judges were having a tough time determining a winner. But after some scoring on qualities including taste, texture, aroma and creativity, four judges were able to award the first-place prize to Laurie and Jay Waltz of Chewsville for their pizza burger.

This weekend, area chefs will have the chance to test their culinary skills and creativity in the second annual Washington County Ag Expo & Fair Iron Chef Cook-offs. The Iron Chef 2011 Cook-off will be from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, July 23. For those whose specialty is a burger, the Iron Chef Burger 2011 Cook-off will be from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday, July 24. Both cook-offs will take at the Twigg Cycle Activity Tent on the grounds of the Washington County Agriculture Education Center. There is a $50 registration fee for the cook-off and a $30 registration fee for the burger cook-off.

Issues delaying a $6.3 million storm water project in the Borough of Waynesboro are closer to being sorted out, lawyers involved in the matter said Wednesday. "We're working cooperatively to get this resolved," said Sam Wiser, solicitor for the borough. Owners of three properties in the south end of town have objected to eminent domain proceedings started by the municipality. Borough officials said they needed easements on six properties and owners of three of those properties would not sign over the easements.

Becky Gossard recorded her first hole-in-one on No. 2 at Black Rock Golf Course, using a 9-iron. The shot was witnessed by Jason Moody, Aaron Staley and Drew Miguel.

They call Joe Tischer the Iron Man. At age 75, Tischer has competed in more than 100 triathlons - an endeavor he started at age 50. He's finished three Iron Man competitions and two JFK 50-mile races. He's a hall-of-famer at Towson University for track and lacrosse. Not even a shoulder replacement, knee replacement or arm and back surgeries are enough to stop him from competing. "I have a life philosophy and a business philosophy," said Tischer, from the sunroom of his home in Fountain Head, north of Hagerstown, his swollen right ankle perched on an ottoman.

o View Ag Expo photos for purchase! There were no celebrity judges on hand nor river eel on the list of ingredients, but the inaugural Iron Chef competition at the Washington County Ag Expo & Fair drew a crowd, perhaps drawn by the aromas wafting from the grills of the five teams. Chef X, a team composed of two ex-chefs and their wives, scored a perfect 100 points to take home the first-place trophy and the grill upon which they produced their winning appetizer, entree and dessert.

The flames will fly Saturday at what is being billed as the Iron Chef 2010 Cook-off, one of many newcomers to the Washington County Ag Expo & Fair schedule. The Washington County Ag Expo & Fair begins Friday, July 16, and continues through Thursday, July 22, at the Washington County Agricultural Education Center grounds, south of Hagerstown. "Food shows are kind of a hot item right now," said Daphne Sigler, board president Washington County Agricultural Organization, of the group that organizes Ag Expo.