Offerings

Mark Minter, who retired from the military on Friday, was at University System of Maryland at Hagerstown on Thursday looking for one of the certifications offered by University of Maryland University College. “I want to get a job in the health care industry,” he said. Minter, 46, of Myersville, Md., was in the U.S. Army for more than 28 years and has a bachelor's degree from Southern Illinois University in Health Care Management and a master's degree from Trident International University in Science and Public Health.

JS Dollar World at 901 S. Potomac St. in Hagerstown has added a second floor to accommodate its new product lines, which includes some premium merchandise that is being sold for more than a dollar. The expansion provided added space that enabled the business to introduce frozen food, dairy items and shelved food items.

Palmyra Farm, a local family farm owned by the Creek and Shank families since 1942 in Washington County, is now making several varieties of cheese. Palmyra Farm Cheeses are farmstead artisan cheeses that capture the flavors and texture of the milk provided by the farm's award-winning Ayrshire cows. The milk has a smooth texture and light consistency with a taste that transmits directly to the cheese. The varieties of cheese offered by the farm include cheddar, smoked cheddar, Cajun cheddar, tomato basil cheddar, Chesapeake Bay cheddar, colby, garlic colby, hot pepper colby, vegetable colby and feta.

McCONNELLSBURG, Pa. - JLG Industries Inc. announced recently that by the end of 2008, Gradall-branded telehandlers will become part of an expanded JLG-branded telehandler family. JLG will continue to provide Ground Support, JLG's aftermarket service, parts, training and technical support services, for existing Gradall-branded telehandlers. Aftermarket support for Gradall-branded telehandlers, as well as new JLG-branded, rear-pivot steer machines will continue with the same service network as before as well as many additional JLG dealers throughout the country.

New restaurateurs will join the ranks of restaurants offering food at this year's Taste of the Town, Sunday at Hagerstown Community College. The event is a fundraiser for REACH, a nonprofit that provides a cold-weather shelter for the homeless and offers services to low-income people, the elderly and people with disabilities. Taste of the Town, at HCC's Athletic, Recreation, and Community Center (ARCC), will have silent and live auctions, plus food from 24 local restaurants. Founded in 1990, REACH stands for Religious Effort to Assist and Care for the Homeless.

The third annual Transition Summit for students in Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan counties was held Thursday at James Rumsey Technical Institute in Hedgesville, W.Va. The event helps special needs students and their families learn about future offerings and opportunities after high school.

Ericka Kalp, infection control manager at Chambersburg (Pa.) Hospital, checks out the offerings at the Chambersburg Hospital Auxiliary Book Fair on Wednesday. The book fair is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. today. Proceeds benefit the auxiliary.

BOONSBORO - Since the fifth century, Christians have observed the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday before the day of Jesus' ascension as Rogation Days. Rogation comes from the Latin word "rogare," meaning "to ask," when the church asked God's protection and blessing on the crops that were beginning to sprout. Rogation processions would walk the boundary lines of a parish church and mark them with crosses - a practice known as "beating the bounds. " St. Mark's Episcopal Church celebrated Rogation in mid-May.

Whether you're a sports buff, a student of the arts or someone who just loves living amid nature's wonders, this area offers a wide variety of summer camps to suit your tastes. There are day and residential camps available for the conservative as well as those seeking an adrenaline rush. Following are offerings in Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Virginia. Give the list a glance, then give one a try. Have a safe and eventful summer! - Meg H. Partington, Staff Writer Maryland Camps Pennsylvania Camps West Virginia Camps Virginia Camps Special Needs Camps

Penn State Mont Alto's continuing-education program and the Franklin County (Pa.) Career and Technology Center are ending the partnership that allowed for adult vocational course offerings. The “mutually agreed-upon decision” to end their partnership at the career center goes into effect for the 2012-13 school year, according to a news release issued Friday. Penn State Continuing Education was occupying office and classroom space while administering post-secondary vocational classes for adults.

   Business and food safety experts from across the state will teach two one-day workshops to help entrepreneurs learn food business best practices. Topics include everything from product and process approval, required certifications and food business inspections to labeling requirements, and marketing and strategies for responding to emergencies. The first workshop takes place Tuesday, May 28, at Cacapon Resort State Park near Berkeley Springs. A second workshop takes place the following day, Wednesday, May 29, at the Jefferson County Public Services Center in Kearneysville, W.Va.

Joe and Sondra Rohm said they didn't mind waiting in traffic to sleep in a “swamp” during this year's Bonanza Extravaganza at Hagerstown Speedway off U.S. 40. The siblings said they arrived at the track at around 2 p.m., set up their tents and patiently waited out a Friday rainstorm that turned the camping area into a wet mess. “It's going to be like sleeping in a swamp,” Sondra Rohm said. “But it's not camping unless you're sleeping in a tent.” The Bonanza Extravaganza has been staged by local firefighters for the last eight years to raise money for nonprofit organizations, said John Murray, president of International Association of Fire Fighters Local 1605 Foundation.

The Washington County Commission on Aging will hold an AARP driver-safety program on the following dates: • Saturday, June 15, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Robinwood Medical Center, 11110 Medical Campus Road, Hagerstown. The instructor is Terry Marshall. • Wednesday, June 19, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Washington County Sheriff's Office, 500 Western Maryland Parkway, Hagerstown. The instructor is William Baschke Jr. The class is designed to help drivers improve their skills. The course costs $12 per person for AARP members and $14 for nonmembers.

It was a school of fisherman - not fish - that huddled in one area of Conococheague Creek at Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pa., on Saturday. Those anglers, like all of the others standing in the water, were after one thing - the elusive tagged fish that come with prize money. Every year, thousands of fishermen from the Tri-State area come to Chambersburg for the annual Noontime Lions Trout Derby. This is the 16th year for the event, which offered nearly $50,000 in cash and prizes this year.

Latin dance classes will be offered Tuesdays and Wednesday at 6 p.m. starting May 7 and 8 at Memorial Recreation Center, 109 North St. in Hagerstown. The classes are sponsored by Comunidad Latina de Washington County and will consist of five Latin dances from Bolivia, Puerto Rico, Salvadore, Mexico and Colombia. The classes are geared for those in elementary and middle school. There is a $25 costume fee. Adults are welcome to participate. Children and adults will participate at local- and state-level events, including festivals, parades, etc., as opportunities arise.

What is the secret to operating a long-lasting, successful restaurant in downtown Hagerstown? Some restaurants keep their doors open for years and years; others last for a few months and then close. The Herald-Mail visited with two restaurant owners, a former owner and a chef. We asked about their secrets for business success in downtown Hagerstown. They are:  Charlie Sekula, host and former owner of Schmankerl Stube, which opened in 1988.  Paul Deputy, co-owner of The Gourmet Goat and GG's Restaurant & Martini Bar, which opened in 2000.

Local money savings blogger The Nifty Thrifty Lady will host a money-saving workshop called “Get a LIFE (Lesson in Frugal Economics)” Saturday, May 18, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Williamsport Community Center in Byron Memorial Park. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. The Nifty Thrifty Lady's creator, Jennifer Ward, will make presentations with Stephanie Reese, co-contributor to The Nifty Thrifty Lady; Amii Fritz, owner of Up on the Hill in Shepherdstown, W.Va.; and Harmony Wilson, an art major and hobby enthusiast.

Legal advice is something just about everyone will need at some point during their lifetime, and residents of Washington County and surrounding areas will have the chance to get some help for free on Wednesday. Assistant State's Attorney Michele F. Hansen said May 1 has been nationally known as Law Day since the 1950s. “At that time, we were in the Cold War situation. So President Eisenhower decided that we in the United States would have a counter to their Labor Day,” Hansen said.

Have a cat or dog that needs neutering? Contact Spay Today, a reduced-cost spay and neutering program. New vets and locations available.  For more information, call 304-728-8330 or go to www.baacs.org .