Keedysville

Mayor: Lee Brandenburg, 301-739-4294 Assistant Mayor: Matt Hull, 301-432-7976 Town Council: Barry Levey, 301-432-5584 Jacki Stranathan, 301-432-6261 Richard Walton, 301-797-3304 The Town Council meets the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the municipal building, 22 Taylor Drive, Keedysville. Municipal building: 301-432-5795; fax, 301-432-4520

Police said dense fog was a factor in a two-vehicle crash Sunday morning at the intersection of Shepherdstown Pike and Coffman Farm Road. Daniel Houston Nicely, 20, of 6332 Coffman Farm Road, Keedysville, pulled onto Shepherdstown Pike from Coffman Farm Road in a 1999 Chevrolet Blazer at about 7:40 a.m. and was struck by a 2003 Saturn being driven by Gloria Jean Herren, 60, of 3418A Whitings Neck Road, Martinsburg, W.Va., according to the Washington County...

Water service for the town of Keedysville will be unavailable Tuesday, beginning at 9 a.m. and for most of the day. Ferri Contracting Inc. will install a new valve for the booster pump station. Residents are asked to plan accordingly. The inclement weather date for the outage will be Wednesday, beginning at 9 a.m. Relay for Life meeting   The American Cancer Society 2012 Relay for Life of Southern Washington County will hold an informational meeting Monday at 6:30 p.m. at Mount Nebo United Methodist Church, 134 S. Main St. in Boonsboro.

The Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office said it was investigating a fire that caused $3,000 in damages to a car Saturday night in the 20100 block of Hogmaw Road near Keedysville. The fire started in the interior passenger compartment of a 1996 Chevrolet Beretta that was parked in the 20100 block of Hogmaw Road, according to a Fire Marshal's Office news release. The fire was reported by the owner at 10:50 p.m. Saturday. It took 14 firefighters about 10 minutes to get it under control, the release says.

Coffman Farm Road in Keedysville has reopened to through traffic between Millrace Lane and Md. 845. The road had been expected to remain closed until 6 p.m. Friday, according to Sarah Lankford, director of public relations and community affairs for Washington County. The road had been closed since Tuesday for work on the bridge over Little Antietam Creek, according to a press release from Washington County. It had originally been scheduled to close Tuesday, Sept. 6, and reopen on Friday, Sept.

Fire destroyed a wood shed on Dogstreet Road in Keedysville on Wednesday night, said Oley Griffith, chief of the First Hose Company of Boonsboro. The building, which measured about 20-feet-by-25-feet, was engulfed in flames when fire fighters arrived, Griffith said. The shed at 19606 Dogstreet Road was next to an outdoor wood furnace, which might have started the blaze, Griffith said. The owner of the property was home but the owner did not know about the fire until a neighbor noticed it, Griffith said.

The water infrastructure upgrades in Keedysville are mostly complete, according to the town of Keedysville's website, www.keedysvillemd.com. Included in the upgrades are a new 300,000 gallon water storage tower, a new booster pump station that is pumping water to the reservoir in Boonsboro, and approximately 6,000 feet of new water line on Main Street, according to the website. According to a published report in September, work crews from C. William Hetzer Inc. had been working to replace a water main on Main Street (Md. 845)

Mount Vernon Reformed United Church of Christ in Keedysville invites the community to a Christmas Eve service for family, friends, neighbors and their pets. The service will be Saturday. The church doors open at 4:30 p.m. and the service begins at 5 p.m. The church staff asks that pets be on a leash or in a pet carrier, and under the owner's complete control. Each dog and cat will receive an animal goody bag and a holiday scarf to celebrate the season. Refreshments will be served following the service.

Mount Vernon Reformed United Church of Christ in Keedysville invites the community to a Christmas Eve service for family, friends, neighbors and their pets. The service will be Saturday. The church doors open at 4:30 p.m. and the service begins at 5 p.m.  The church staff asks that pets be on a leash or in a pet carrier, and under the owner's complete control. Each dog and cat will receive an animal goody bag and a holiday scarf to celebrate the season. Refreshments will be served following the service.

The Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office said it was investigating a fire that caused $3,000 in damages to a car Saturday night in the 20100 block of Hogmaw Road near Keedysville. The fire started in the interior passenger compartment of a 1996 Chevrolet Beretta that was parked in the 20100 block of Hogmaw Road, according to a Fire Marshal's Office news release. The fire was reported by the owner at 10:50 p.m. Saturday. It took 14 firefighters about 10 minutes to get it under control, the release says.

Birthdays Sunday, May 5 - Janice E. Kelsh, Pennsylvania Avenue, Hagerstown, turned 66; Devon Gay, Millers Sawmill Road, Sharpsburg, turned 28; Betty Saylor, Shepherdstown Pike, Keedysville, turned 69; Erika Thompson, Ferrero Lane, Keedysville, turned 7. Monday, May 6 - Dustin McSherry, Windsor Drive, Hagerstown, turns 25. Anniversary Monday, May 6 - Steven and Darlene Akers, Greencastle, Pa., are celebrating their...

Sylvia Evelyn Poffenberger, 101, formerly of Reno Monument Road in Boonsboro, passed away on Sunday, April 28, at Reeders Memorial Home in Boonsboro. Born in Washington County, she was the daughter of the late Elias and Chlemi (Poffenberger) Hutzel. She was a wonderful homemaker and a very loving mother and grandmother. She was preceded in death by her husband, Clarence O. Poffenberger; her sister, Mary Alexander and a granddaughter, Sharon Albert and her husband, Wayne Albert.

Willie Ray Wolfe, 54, of Hagerstown, Md., died Monday, April 29, 2013, at his home. Born Oct. 29, 1958, in Allegany County, Md., he was the son of the late James Thomas and Lucy Belle Lewis Wolfe. He is survived by his fiancée, Linda Maphis; one son; three sisters; two brothers; his extended family, Loretta Webber, David and Tina Maphis, Brenda Wingfield, Carolyn Maphis and Don Yingling; several nieces and nephews; a great-niece, Emma; and a great-nephew, Kaden. He was preceded in death by one brother.  Graveside services will be Friday at 11 a.m. at Fairview Cemetery, Keedysville, Md. The Rev. Robert E. Shatzer will officiate.  There will be no viewing.

Devin R. Witman, 21, of Hagerstown, passed suddenly from this life Friday, April 26, 2013. Born Aug. 22, 1991, in Harrisburg, Pa., he was the son of Sandy C. (Hines) White of Hagerstown and the late Timothy A. Witman. Devin was at his happiest when he was motorcycle riding and working on computers. In addition to his mother, he is survived by his half sister, Destiny D. Witman of Texas; his maternal grandmother, Linda Warrenfeltz and her husband, Pete, of Boonsboro, Md.; his maternal stepgrandmother, Bonnie Hines and partner, Matt, of Emmitsburg, Md.; his aunt, Christy Webber of Hagerstown; and his uncles, Dwayne Hines of Keedysville, Md. and Jamie Hines of Waynesboro, Pa. He also is survived by several cousins.

David Hildebrand will present a concert of Music of the War of 1812 in America, Sunday, May 19, at 4 p.m. in the St. Mark's Fellowship Center, 18313 Lappans Road, Boonsboro. For more than 30 years Hildebrand and his wife have appeared professionally at historic sites, museums and educational institutions and have collaborated on six full-length recordings. Their presentations are lively and dynamic, involving storytelling, scene-setting and humorous anecdotes. This performance is free and open to the public as part of the Maryland Humanities Council Maryland War of 1812 Commission.

William Frank "Bo" Gates, 52, of Keedysville, Md., passed away Monday, April 22, 2013, at Meritus Medical Center near Hagerstown, Md., after a brief illness. "Bo" was the loving, devoted husband and friend of Charlotte L. Gates of Keedysville, Md. Born Nov. 6, 1960, in Bluefield, W.Va., he was the son of Frank M. Gates and the late Ruby Ilene Gates of Frederick, Md. He was a member of Fraternal Order of Eagles Lodge 1067 and Frederick Redmen 19. In addition to his wife and father, Bo is survived by a son, Jason F. Gates and fiancée, Erin, of Bethesda, Md.; a brother, Mike "Butch" Gates, and sister Michelle "Missey" Gates, both of Frederick; stepsons, Dean H. McMillion and wife, Kim, of Keedysville, and Oscar "Peanut" McMillion and fiancée, Charlene Sentelle, of Hagerstown; nephew, Michael "M.J.

Current leaders could learn from Eisenhower's example To the editor: In these times of troubled relations between political parties, we need to take a quick look back in history to what I consider to be the “gold standard” of playing well with others. When Dwight Eisenhower was our president he famously met with Democrat Senate Leader Lyndon Johnson and Democrat Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn on a regular basis to discuss matters of importance to the American people.

Andra P. Stewart, 60, of Suman Avenue, Hagerstown, Md., graduated to heaven Monday, April 15, 2013, from Meritus Medical Center of Hagerstown. Born Sept. 8, 1952, in Washington, D.C., he was the son of Tekoe (Davis) Graves of Cedar Heights, Md., and the late Philip L. Stewart. He was a graduate of Fairmont Heights High School. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. He worked in the food industry and loved to cook. In addition to his mother, he is survived by his wife, Gail Y. (Crump)

Hagerstown author Preston “Toby” Law will speak to the Keedysville Historical Society on Monday at 7 p.m. at St. Peter's Lutheran Church, 53 N. Main St., Keedysville. Law will discuss his new book, “Drummer Boy for the Bonnie Blue,” which follows a 14-year-old Frederick native, Thad, as he decides to join the Confederate army as a drummer boy. The public is invited, and visitors are encouraged to bring their children and grandchildren. Books will be available for purchase. Light refreshments will be served.