Pneumonia

A resident of Loyalton of Hagerstown was found to have Legionella, forcing the assisted-living facility near Hagerstown Community College to take extra precautions with its 85 residents, Christine Ogden, the facility's executive director, said Tuesday. "One of our residents was diagnosed with Legionella, and we don't know where it came from," Ogden said. Legionella is the bacteria that causes Legionnaires' disease, a severe pneumonia that causes 8,000 to 18,000 hospitalizations a year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

tarar@herald-mail.com The number of people seeking flu shots this year is down by half when compared to last year, prompting the Washington County Health Department to add another immunization clinic for early December. Health Officer William Christoffel said this week about 3,500 people got flu shots provided by the department this year, down from the 7,000 who got them last year. The department purchased 8,000 doses for this year. The department has held five flu and pneumonia immunization clinics in Washington County already, and a sixth was added for Tuesday at the Elks Club Lodge 378 at 11603 Robinwood Drive from 3 to 7 p.m. Christoffel said he didn't know why fewer people have sought the shots this year, but he said some could have been immunized elsewhere.

Health care costs continue to soar and at least one health professional in Hagerstown believes solutions must be found to serve the growing number of people with little access to that care. "If every company was willing to commit one-tenth of net profits, tithing into a community fund, we could fix this problem," said H.W. Murphy, president of the Washington County Health System. Speaking at the Healthy Communities 2000 summit Wednesday at the Four Points, Murphy addressed a coalition of local volunteers and health professionals who are identifying and working to solve the county's major health care problems.

Today: Rotary Club of Williamsport meets at Williamsport Redmen Club, 7:15 a.m. Today: Flu and pneumonia clinic at Williamsport Nutrition and Senior Center, 10 a.m. to noon. Nov. 13: Williamsport Ministerium Soup Kitchen at Rehoboth United Methodist Church, 30 E. Salisbury St., 5:15 to 6:30 p.m. Nov. 14: Children's story hour at Williamsport Memorial Library, 1:30 p.m. Nov. 19: Citizens Advisory Council meeting at Springfield Middle School in Williamsport, 6:30 p.m. Nov. 19: Rotary Club of Williamsport meets at Williamsport Redmen Club, 7:15 a.m. Nov. 20: Williamsport Ministerium Soup Kitchen at Rehoboth United Methodist Church, 30 E. Salisbury St., 5:15 to 6:30 p.m. Nov. 21: Children's story hour at Williamsport Memorial Library, 1:30 p.m. Nov. 24: Carpenter retirees meeting, Williamsport Redmen Club, 8 a.m. Nov. 25: Flu and pneumonia clinic at Williamsport Redmen Lodge, 1 to 4 p.m. Nov. 26: Rotary Club of Williamsport meets at Williamsport Redmen Club, 7:15 a.m. Nov. 27 and 28: Thanksgiving break for public schools.

charlestown@herald-mail.com Shortly after being released from City Hospital Wednesday morning, Vernon Henderson Dunlap Sr. was arrested and arraigned on a murder charge in the death of his girlfriend, a Jefferson County Sheriff's Department sergeant said. Sheriff's department officials were under the assumption that Dunlap, who was suffering from pneumonia, could be kept at the hospital through the end of the week. But Dunlap's condition improved and he was released from the hospital at about 9:30 a.m., said Sgt. Sam Harmon.

charlestown@herald-mail.com CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - A Martinsburg, W.Va., man wanted in the death of his girlfriend remained in fair condition at City Hospital on Tuesday with pneumonia, and could remain hospitalized through the end of the week, police and hospital officials said. An arrest warrant for first-degree murder was issued for Vernon Henderson Dunlap last week, but police cannot charge him until he has finished treatment at the hospital, Jefferson County Sheriff Everett "Ed" Boober said Tuesday.

The increasingly diminished returns on Fox's Friday schedule have led the network to abandon original programming on the night for the rest of the season. Starting April 15, Fox will air movies, including a couple of broadcast-net premieres, on Friday nights through the end of the season. "The Bernie Mac Show," currently the only first-run show in the Friday lineup, will end its season this week after an abbreviated run of 12 episodes. The shortened season was necessitated in part by Mac's bout with pneumonia last fall.

A resident of Loyalton of Hagerstown was found to have Legionella, according to a note taped to a door at the assisted-living facility late Monday. Staff members at the facility near Hagerstown Community College said they could not comment about the note, and one woman directed questions about the case to an administrator who is scheduled to work today. Legionella is the bacteria that causes Legionnaires' disease, a severe pneumonia that causes 8,000 to 18,000 hospitalizations a year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Smithsburg Senior Site 29 Blue Mountain Estates, Smithsburg 301-824-2183 Exercise - Wednesdays, Nov. 15 and 29; Mondays, Nov. 20 and 27; and Friday, Nov. 17, 9:30 a.m. Uno or dominoes - Wednesdays, Nov. 29, 10 a.m. Bingo - Thursday, Nov. 16; and Tuesday, Nov. 28, 10 a.m. Trivial Pursuit - Monday, Nov. 20, 10 a.m. Van stop at shopping center - Tuesdays, Nov. 14 and 28, 9:30 a.m. "Pneumonia" with Ita Kavanagh...