Munson

laurae@herald-mail.com Some political observers might think Sen. Donald F. Munson, who has served in state elected office for 28 years, would feel secure in his chances for re-election this fall. But the three-term Republican senator is taking nothing for granted. "You never get used to it. It's always a new experience," he said Thursday. Munson said he plans to visit about 6,000 homes in District 2 during the campaign. His only opponent so far is a political newcomer, Democrat Mary E. Newby, 47, of Hagerstown.

Maryland Sen. Donald F. Munson, R-Washington, a member of the state legislature for more than 23 years, has filed for re-election to his seat in District 2. Munson, 60, said he never had any doubt he would run again. "I just think I still have something to contribute to the system," he said. Munson, a Hagerstown resident, was first elected to the General Assembly in 1974, spending his first 16 years in the House of Delegates. He has been in the state Senate since 1990.

laurae@herald-mail.com A teacher and former Army nurse is trying to unseat a career lawmaker in the race to be Washington County's state senator for the next four years. Democrat Mary E. Newby is taking on Republican Sen. Donald F. Munson, who has been a member of the Maryland General Assembly since 1975 and a senator since 1991. Newby's biggest complaint with the incumbent has been that he has not returned enough state money to Washington County. "We need to make sure we're getting our share of state money," she said.

tarar@herald-mail.com Washington County Commissioner John C. Munson thinks a stock car racetrack would be a good fit here, and he wants his fellow board members to support the idea. Munson suggested on Tuesday that the board write a letter to the owner of Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa., asking him to build a track in Washington County. Munson said he got the idea after he heard that the owner of Pocono Raceway wanted to upgrade a dirt track in Cumberland, Md., to possibly attract national stock car racing.

WASHINGTON COUNTY - Concerned that rising costs could kill a plan to build a new Washington County Hospital, a state senator is seeking possible solutions. Sen. Donald F. Munson, R-Washington, said he expects to meet with the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission, possibly in May or June, to brainstorm ideas. Other members of Washington County's delegation to the Maryland General Assembly are invited. Munson said he has been told that, starting about three months ago, the estimated cost of a new hospital on Robinwood Drive was on track to soar high enough to put the project in doubt.

Washington County Commissioner John Munson has a solution to the slow pace of redevelopment at the former Fort Ritchie: Give up and send the deed back to Uncle Sam. It's the sort of thing one might say after a long frustrating day, but it's not a strategy and it's not what citizens pay the commissioners $30,000 a year to do. The old fort was closed in 1998, costing the area 2,000 jobs. The PenMar Development Corporation, a citizen group appointed by the commissioners to redevelop the base, has had to deal with some unexpected problems, notably unexploded ordnance and the litigation involved with Role Models Academy.

o If you like reading Tim Rowland, you'll love watching him. See what else Tim has to say Reporters in Annapolis frequently find their minds wandering, even on that last frantic night of the legislative session, when bills are passed one after the other with cannon-like velocity. One such night, about 15 years ago, a reporter from the Associated Press noticed that one out of every 10 bills or so were mysteriously being pulled off the House of Delegates list for final passage.

tarar@herald-mail.com Washington County Commissioner John C. Munson said he favors cutting funding to the Board of Education to come up with money to fix the county's worn-out roads. Munson made the comments at a County Commissioners meeting last week as Director of Public Works Gary Rohrer proposed repairing Gossard Mill Road. Munson has been saying for some time that the county should make fixing its roads a top priority. Last year, Munson said education should rank third among the county's top three priorities.

tarar@herald-mail.com Washington County Commissioner John C. Munson said Tuesday he spoke too quickly when he said last week that the County Commuter bus system was underused and should be shut down. "I opened my mouth too soon about these buses," Munson said Tuesday during a County Commissioners meeting at the Smithsburg Volunteer Fire Co. Social Hall. Now, Munson said, he thinks the commissioners should consider whether the buses being used by County Commuter are too big or whether smaller buses should be used.

State Sen. Donald F. Munson, R-Washington, said Thursday that he has given up on the idea of holding a meeting to think of ways to help build a new hospital. Construction of a new Washington County Hospital on Robinwood Drive has been delayed because of a court challenge to zoning variances. The Maryland Court of Special Appeals is scheduled to hear the case next month. Munson said last month that he expected to meet with the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission, possibly in May or June, to brainstorm ideas.