Mercersburg

MERCERSBURG, Pa. -- Weather conditions permitting, spraying to control mosquito populations will be conducted during the evening hours Tuesday, with Wednesday scheduled as a backup in portions of Mercersburg borough, according to a news release from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. Two recent collections of mosquitoes have tested positive for the West Nile virus in this area, the news release stated. The treatments will be conducted after sundown using the product BioMist, the news release stated.

MERCERSBURG, Pa.-- Firefighters responded to a house fire at about 3:20 a.m. Friday in the 7600 block of Loudon Road in Mercersburg, according to a Franklin County Emergency Services dispatcher. It took firefighters about 90 minutes to get the blaze under control, the dispatcher said. Additional details were not available Friday morning.

Three people were charged with harassment after an altercation that resulted from someone allegedly throwing urine into a car, Mercersburg police said in a news release. Police said a 17-year-old boy, who owned the car, confronted Wayne Thomas Kearns Jr., 26, of Mercersburg, about the urine incident in the Uni-Mart parking lot at about 8 p.m. on Oct. 5. In that altercation, Kristi Marie Divens, 27, of Mercersburg, allegedly hit the boy in the side of the face, police said. The teen, Kearns and Divens were all charged with harassment, according to the news release.

MERCERSBURG, Pa. - A tractor-trailer hit a highway route sign on South Main Street at 11:46 p.m. Tuesday, Mercersburg police said in a news release. Gurpreet Singh, 23, of California, was cited for causing an accident involving damage to unattended property, police said. Police said Singh also hit a reflective pole sign on Constitution Avenue while backing up his tractor-trailer. The impact punctured a fuel tank on the vehicle, causing it to leak diesel fuel.

It was tough work navigating the intricate paths and oversized corn stalks that towered over 8-year-old Sean Scott as he made his way through a dinosaur-themed corn maze Saturday. Sean, his 6-year-old brother Noah, aunt Holly Hallett and grandmother Becky Chilcote of Mercersburg worked up quite a sweat after getting lost in the maze for nearly an hour. As the family enjoyed refreshments, Chilcote said despite their misadventure the family was having a great time. “I think Sean and I got stuck in the belly of the dinosaur,” Chilcote said with a chuckle.

Collectible coins, jewelry and tattooing equipment were stolen from a studio behind 22 E. Fairview Ave. in mid-January, Mercersburg police said in a news release. On Jan. 25, police arrested Mercersburg residents Jeremy Scott Mumma, 35, and Natalie Jean Kimberley, 20, in connection to the incident. Both were charged with burglary, criminal conspiracy and theft. Police estimated the value of the stolen property as $31,000.

Flannery's Pub Run 1/2 Marathon is at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, April 13. The course begins in Mercersburg and winds through back roads to Greencastle, Pa. Organizers have announced several age group awards: All participants that finish will receive a finisher's medal and a shirt. Age groups are 19 and younger; 20 to 24; 25 to 29; 30 to 34; 35 to 39; 40 to 44; 45 to 49; 50 to 54, 55 to 59; 60 to 64; 65 to 69; and 70 and older. Top three overall male and female runners prizes will be, first place, $100 second place, — $75; and third place, $50. A Runner's Dinner is set for Friday April 12, at The John Allison Public House in Greencastle.

MERCERSBURG, Pa. -- A 275-year-old Mercersburg house has become a bone of contention between a local citizens group that wants to preserve the house for its historical value and the MMP&W Fire Department, which owns the property and wants to demolish the house to make way for future expansion. The two groups have been at odds over the issue for months. Karen Ramsburg heads up the Committee to Save the Justice William Smith House, a group of 10 residents working to find a solution that will keep the house standing in Mercersburg.

By RICHARD F. BELISLE / Staff Writer, Waynesboro photo: KEVIN G. GILBERT / staff photographer MERCERSBURG, Pa. - Three retired Mercersburg-area school teachers are publishing a history of their area that will be used by fourth-graders in the Tuscarora School District as part of the state-mandated Pennsylvania history curriculum. [cont. from news page ] Joan McCulloh, Nancy Heefner and Betty Stenger are members of the Mercersburg Historical Society, the organization sponsoring the book.

Charlie Keefer, 4, of Mercersburg, Pa., enjoys himself on the swings at Greencastle-Antrim Elementary School playground Sunday afternoon. Charlie was there with his grandmother, Karen Keefer, of Chambersburg, Pa.

Betty J. Bricker, 83, of Mercersburg, Pa., passed away Friday, May 24, 2013, at 2:15 a.m. surrounded by her family after a lengthy illness. Born Oct. 4, 1929, in East Berlin, Pa., she was the daughter of the late Preston and Hazel Himes Smith. She was married to Calvin E. Bricker Sr. on Sept. 13, 1947. He died Dec. 10, 2011. Betty was a homemaker, and had assisted her husband in the electrical and grocery business. She is survived by seven children, Julia (Mrs. Leroy) Robinson, Doris (Mrs.

Edmonious G. Torrence, 96, died Tuesday, May 21, 2013, at ManorCare Health Services in Chambersburg, Pa. The viewing will be Friday from 9 to 10 a.m. at Lininger-Fries Funeral Home Inc., Mercersburg, Pa. The service will be Friday at 10 a.m. at the funeral home.

Paige Elizabeth Brown passed peacefully in the arms of her loving parents on Friday, May 17, 2013. She was born May 1, 2013, and was a beautiful baby girl who touched so many lives in such a brief time. She will forever live on in our hearts. Paige is the beloved daughter of Warren and Amber Brown of Mercersburg, Pa. She also is survived by her loving grandparents, Warren and Marie Brown, and Terry and Linda McGovern. Services will be private. Memorial donations may be made in her name to the March of Dimes Foundation.

Evelyn M. "Marie" Weller, 78, of Chambersburg, Pa., died Wednesday, May 15, 2013. Visitation will be Monday from 10 to 11 a.m. at Lininger-Fries Funeral Home Inc., Mercersburg, Pa. The service will be Monday at 11 a.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be at Fairview Cemetery, Mercersburg.

A. Virginia Deshong, 88, of Mercersburg, Pa., died Tuesday, May 14, 2013. A viewing will be Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. at Lininger-Fries Funeral Home Inc., Mercersburg. Burial will be in Highland Memory Gardens, Apopka, Fla.

H. Kenneth Mellott, 81, of Mercersburg, Pa., died Wednesday, May 15, 2013. Visitation will be Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lininger-Fries Funeral Home Inc. in Mercersburg and Saturday from 10 to 11 a.m. at St. Stephen's United Church of Christ of Upton. The service will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at the church. Burial will be at Spring Grove Cemetery, Lemasters, Pa.

Clarence Ray Hornbaker, 88, of Mercersburg, Pa., died May 11, 2013, at The Village of Laurel Run, Fayetteville, Pa. Born Sept. 8, 1924, in Mercersburg, he was a son of the late Moody Melvin and Mary Pine Hornbaker. Early in life, he worked for the B & O Railroad in Cumberland, Md., for nine years. He later worked for Rockwell Construction of Mercersburg. Most of his life was spent as a self-employed logger and home builder. He enjoyed hunting. His first wife, Lena Mae Smith Hornaker, died in 1994.

Enjoying sips of teas such as ginger-peach and tasty treats like mango-curry chicken salad rounds and blackberry tarts, several Tri-State area mothers enjoyed a Mother's Day tea Sunday at Sereni-Tea Room in Funkstown. “Just a special event that I could bring her to ... where we could share a nice meal and ... just get out with our families and enjoy the day,” said Boonsboro resident Joanie Costlow. Ranota Marcotte said she opened the tearoom in October after her husband saw that the small cottage-type shop on Funkstown's East Baltimore Street was available for rent.

Friday, May 3, 2013 PREP BASEBALL MERCERSBURG, Pa. - Colin Gibbons-Fly had three hits and scored three runs to lead Mercersburg Academy past Saint James 10-4 for the Independent-Parochial School League championship on Friday. Trustin Riley had two hits and scored two runs, and Richard Grace had two doubles for the Blue Storm (19-2). Brett Vitkun hit a two-run homer in the seventh for the Saints (13-8). Saint James    100    100    2    -     4    7    5 Mercersburg    205    210    x    -     10    12    1 Vitkun, Brown (4)

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - Glory Sterling of Mercersburg, Pa., was selected for Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and College. Sterling is a senior secondary English education major. Sterling is a 2002 graduate of James Buchanan High School in Mercersburg, and is the daughter of Thomas and Joyce Cook of Mercersburg. ERIE, Pa. - Steven Savoy of Hagerstown joined the cast of “Anatomy of Gray,” the spring production of the Studio Theatre at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College.