Local Elections

MARTINSBURG, W.VA. - Convenience, anxiousness, necessity. Voters in Berkeley County had their own motives for waiting in hour-long lines Saturday during the last day to cast an early ballot for local, state and national elections. More than 1,000 residents poured into the Berkeley County Courthouse to make their choices. Anyone who wasn't standing in line at the 5 p.m. deadline must vote Tuesday on Election Day - or not at all. "I just wanted to make sure my vote got in," said Holly Johnson, 53, of Hedgesville, W.Va.

Last week's question In Washington County, there are four candidates for state's attorney, five for sheriff and 24 for county commissioner. What's the best way to keep track of so many candidates and how will you decide which ones to vote for? This is why I DESPISE local elections! Everyone and their next door neighbor gets in the running and you have no idea who's who - unless they've had their name plastered all over town since Day One of their campaign. When it's that congested, people vote for the names they recognize.

bonnieb@herald-mail.com SCOTLAND, Pa. - Franklin County Democratic Party members and supporters gathered Saturday afternoon for a picnic and Family Fun Day and to meet Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll. The event at Scotland Memorial Park attracted about 70 people. The first female lieutenant governor in Pennsylvania, Knoll travels with her dog, Boomer. Beth Shupp-George, first vice chair of the Franklin County Democratic Committee, said she did not know the number of registered Democrats in the county, but that many "got active in the last (presidential)

gregs@herald-mail.com HAGERSTOWN - Election officials spent Monday reviewing security procedures and preparing for today's City of Hagerstown primary election, which will determine which candidates will compete in the May 17 general election. Republicans going to the polls Tuesday will choose one of four mayoral candidates to advance to the general election. The candidates as they will appear on the ballot are: Charlie Baker - whose given name is Roger Dean Weber; Bob Bruchey; Tony Campello; and Dick Trump.

Don't forget about adequate parking To the editor: I read The Herald-Mail on a daily basis. All of the articles are read completely. In a recent publication there was an article that pertained to the hospital being proposed for Robinwood. This was very well-written and I agreed with the portion that dealt with the big entities thinking themselves immune from rules and regulations. While this does not apply entirely in my situation, it does have a bearing on the capability of the executives doing their jobs properly.

Last week my sister asked me what I wanted for Christmas. At the time, it seemed way too soon to talk about holiday gift-giving. Weren't we sweltering just last week and worrying about whether local farmers' corn would bake in the blistering sun? No, it wasn't just last week, but weeks and months that passed by in a blur, just as all things do when you get older. But her question reminded me about something I've learned repeatedly over the last 30 years here at The Herald-Mail: The period between Thanksgiving and New Year's is a tough one for anyone trying to grab the public's attention.

Wow. What an exciting time in which we live. The last several weeks have been frightening, exhilarating and eye opening all at the same time. And challenging, too. One of the most challenging things for me the past few weeks besides looking at my 401(k) statement was getting a grip on the presidential race. Barack Obama and John McCain actually want to be president? They want to inherit the mess left behind? More power to them. My dilemma as a cynical 42-year-old father, husband and on-time bill payer is deciding who will be the lesser of the two evils.

There are very few easy campaigns for the United Way of Washington County. In 2001, the campaign saw many local dollars go to relief efforts for those hurt by the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. This year the public's attention has been concentrated on national and local elections and the troubled state of the national economy. Despite that, Noel Williams, who's co-chairing the campaign along with Tim Henry, said the 2008 appeal is on pace with last year's effort and has raised (as of this week)