Nora Roberts

FUNKSTOWN - The Between the Covers book club began about a year ago as the brainchild of the activities and fellowship committee at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Funkstown. "We have about six to 10 members now," said Dru McNamee, one of those literary devotees. Most are women but hopes are that will change as the word spreads about the club. The group meets on the fourth Monday of every month at the church, usually starting its one-to-two-hour sessions around 6:30 p.m. In September, the club kicked off its fall season with a chance to meet Robert W. Brannon, a local and first-time author.

Arbor Day poster contest under way in W.Va. CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Officials at the Division of Forestry are now accepting submissions for the 2009 West Virginia Arbor Day Poster Contest. This year's theme is "Trees are Terrific . . . in Cities and Towns!" The contest is open to all public, private and home-schooled fifth-grade students in West Virginia. The first-place poster will automatically be a finalist in the national competition, and the artist will receive a $100 U. S. Savings Bond from the West Virginia Forestry Association and have a tree planted in his or her honor at the school.

KNOXVILLE -- When Tyler Austin's parents received an invitation to Boonsboro High School's awards ceremony, they knew their son was being recognized in some way. What they, and Tyler, didn't know was that he would be named the recipient of the Nora Roberts Foundation Scholarship. The scholarship, which has been awarded since 1994 to one Boonsboro High senior, will provide Tyler, 18, with $20,000 for his education. The scholarship is open to students who plan to major in journalism, education, creative writing or English.

Hi, neighbors! Welcome home to all freshly returned college students! Enjoy your summer. Worship center The Boonsboro Family Worship Center at 7605 Old National Pike in Boonsboro has a busy weekend planned! On Friday, it will host an evening of gospel music from the Antietam Gospel Trio. Reunion will also be singing in this service. For information, call 301-432-0707, ext. 100. On Saturday, the Worship Center invites you to a flea market/yard sale on from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be a food stand with sandwiches, homemade cakes, pies, goodies and much more.

BOONSBORO -- Janeen Solberg's love of books led her on a path - first as a high school English teacher, then as a Boonsboro Library board member and to a job with Turn the Page Bookstore in town. To Solberg, going to the library and finding just the book you're looking for or finding an unexpected read is like finding treasure. Solberg, 40, taught at Frederick High School when she and her husband of 14 years, Greg Solberg, moved to Boonsboro. She earned her undergraduate degree from Millersville (Pa.)

Click here to view a slideshow of the fire . BOONSBORO - A four-alarm fire Friday morning caused about $2 million in damage to seven buildings, including the historic Boone Hotel, in the first block of North Main Street in Boonsboro. Three families were displaced, but no one was injured in the fire, which was reported Friday at 7:42 a.m. The fire, which was declared accidental, originated in the first floor of the Boone Hotel, which was "basically just four walls left standing" after fire tore through it, said Keith Abrecht, captain of the First Hose Co. of Boonsboro.

BOONSBORO -- A four-alarm fire Friday morning caused about $2 million in damage to seven buildings, including the historic Boone Hotel, in the first block of North Main Street in Boonsboro. Three families were displaced, but no one was injured in the fire that was reported at 7:42 a.m. Friday. The accidental fire originated in the first floor of the Boone Hotel, which was "basically just four walls left standing," after fire tore through it, Capt. Keith Abrecht of the First Hose Co. of Boonsboro said.

HAGERSTOWN-After selling more than 294 million copies of her books and being named to Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world, author and Washington County resident Nora Roberts was immortalized Friday in Hagerstown. During a brief ceremony at the Hagerstown-Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau, she was presented with a tiny bobblehead doll in her likeness by Will Smith, general manager of the Hagerstown Suns. "It definitely has some of me in it," said Roberts, an avid baseball fan. "I feel like I've made it now. I feel like I'm the envy of all my writer friends.

After selling more than 294 million copies of her books and being named to Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world, author and Washington County resident Nora Roberts was immortalized Friday in Hagerstown. During a brief ceremony at the Hagerstown-Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau, she was presented with a tiny bobblehead doll in her likeness by Will Smith, general manager of the Hagerstown Suns. "It definitely has some of me in it," said Roberts, an avid baseball fan. "I feel like I've made it now. I feel like I'm the envy of all my writer friends.

SHARPSBURG - It's a plot twist that even Nora Roberts couldn't anticipate. A novelist living in southern Washington County hones her craft, finds a massive and loyal audience, and ultimately is recognized as one of the 100 most influential people in the world by one of the world's most influential publications. Roberts is among 20 artists and entertainers named this year in Time Magazine's list of "the 100 men and women whose power, talent or moral example is transforming the world.