Queen

There was no Mummers Parade this year, but the Alsatia Club still chose a queen. It was a welcome, salvageable slice of tradition for club members on Saturday, after the disappointment of canceling the annual parade because of a snowstorm. Each year, each of Washington County's high schools has a representative in the competition. One of the princesses becomes the queen by chance. All receive a gift-wrapped box with a silver pendant. Whoever gets the one gold-plated pendant becomes the queen.

One of Alicia Pownall's duties as the Berkeley County Youth Fair's newly crowned queen is to hand out blue ribbons to exhibit winners. Monday night she gave one to herself for the wool cape she made in the 4-H Style Show competition. Earlier in the day, she handed herself a red ribbon when Dip 'n Dot, her four-year-old female rabbit, took a second-place ribbon in the rabbit judging. She also won a ribbon for cake decorating. Alicia, 18, of Martinsburg, is entering a brown sexlink hen in the chicken judging competition that begins today at 11 a.m. Chicken and rabbit raising runs in the Pownall family.

Guests at a Friday night fundraiser for the University System of Maryland at Hagerstown had the opportunity to dine with a rather distinguished figure: the Queen of England herself. However, the royal guest was not a visitor from the United Kingdom but Crownsville, Md., where she reigns over the Maryland Renaissance Festival. The queen and other Ren Fest performers were part of the entertainment for the Elizabethtowne Feaste and Frolic dinner, an annual event that raises funds for scholarships to USMH.

Tiffany Stoner, 11, of Chambersburg, Pa., shoots from the top of the key Monday as she gets some practice in at Donald "Mike" Waters Memorial Park on South Second Street in Chambersburg.

SHARPSBURG - Jamie Beckley of Williamsport, was crowned Ag Expo Queen for 2004-05 Friday night at the 24th annual Washington County Ag Expo. A junior at Clear Spring High School, Beckley, 16, is the daughter of Karen Beckley of Williamsport and Steve Beckley, a Hagerstown-area farmer. Beckley was chosen from among five contestants. The other contestants were Lindsay Shirk, 16, a Clear Spring High School senior; Kristina Powell, 16, a Boonsboro High School senior; Amanda Lee, 14, a Boonsboro High School sophomore; and Morgan Smith, 14, a Clear Spring High School freshman.

Book Review Frank Beddor, the author of "The Looking Glass Wars," has written a sequel. In this action-packed book, "Seeing Redd," Beddor both captivates and astounds his audience. "Seeing Redd" tells the story of 20-year-old Alyss Heart of Wonderland, whose reign as queen is only beginning. She is constantly challenged with political problems, plus training her new bodyguard and dealing with the annoying reasoning of the forceful King Arch of Boarderland. Alyss struggles to maintain a personal life, but it is becoming increasingly nonexistent.

Waltemire new queen of Ag Expo By KERRY LYNN FRALEY Staff Writer SHARPSBURG - Since she was 8 years old watching her first Washington County Ag Expo Queen contest, Tia Waltemire has longed for that crown. "Every year, I have attended the contest and wanted to do everything the queen has done," said Waltemire, 17, whose dream came true Saturday night at this year's Washington County Ag Expo. The Hagerstown teen, daughter of Mary Ellen and Chuck Waltemire, competed against five other local high school students for the title.

charlestown@herald-mail.com LEETOWN, W.Va. - Fifteen-year-old Teal Renee Pindell was crowned Miss Jefferson County Fair 2005 Sunday night. Pindell, the daughter of Heather and Willy Pindell of Charles Town, W.Va., was one of five finalists for the crown. The four other finalists were Caroline Kercheval, first runner-up; Ashley Brooke Breeden, second runner-up; Skye Spaulding, third runner-up; and Amber Boyd, fourth runner-up. Pindell was crowned before a crowd of lively spectators in the grandstand who cheered and sounded air horns in support of their favorite candidates.

WASHINGTON COUNTY - Erin Canfield was a shoo-in to become the Washington County Ag Expo queen for 2006. Sure, she was the only contestant, but emcee Robbie Shaw said Canfield's leadership and agricultural background will make her a fine queen. Canfield, 15, of Sharpsburg, was crowned the queen Friday a little before 6 p.m., and performed her first official duty as queen - awarding prizes to the top finishers in the demolition derby - a couple of hours later. Although she was the only contestant, Canfield still had to answer questions posed to her by the event's emcee.

HEDGESVILLE, W.Va. - Sponsored this year by the Hedgesville Volunteer Fire Co., the Berkeley County Fire and Rescue Association Queen Scholarship Pageant will crown a queen and princess and award scholarship money, flowers, trophies and gifts. The event is at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 24, at Tomahawk Intermediate School. Tickets cost $5, and program booklets are $3. Doors open at 7 p.m. The contestants are: Jennifer Davis, 17, of Bunker Hill, who is a senior at Musselman High School and is the daughter of Joe and Kathy Davis.

Most counties have a fire prevention queen who advocates fire safety and typically attends the Maryland State Firemen's Association convention every year to compete for the state Miss Fire Prevention title. Washington County did not have a fire prevention queen for a long time, according to Dale Fishack, a member of the Washington County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association. The local association, which organizes the program, felt it was important to have an ambassador for fire safety, Fishack said.

In his more than 50 years of real estate ventures, Benson Fogle says his purchase of the Shenandoah Hotel building in downtown Martinsburg stands alone - and not in a good way. “I've never had a property I wasn't able to find tenants for until I ran into the Shenandoah,” Fogle said in a recent interview. Built in the 1920s by community investors, the hotel, its restaurant and ballroom once was a civic and social center for Martinsburg. Former U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy visited and actors Debbie Reynolds and Robert Mitchum once stayed at the five-story landmark on the corner of Martin and Queen streets.

Homecoming queens from high schools throughout Washington County gathered Saturday afternoon at the Alsatia Club before Saturday night's Mummers Parade. Through the luck of the draw, one of them would be named queen of the parade. Chuck Metz, chairman of club's Princesses and Queens Committee, explained the process. “This is the way we pick. We have the same number of necklaces as girls. They are all identical. But they all say 'Alsatia Mummers Parade Princess,' and only one says 'Queen,'” he said.

Jessica Madden is a beauty queen without a float. The 18-year-old Hagerstown resident and reigning Miss Chesapeake State Teen 2012 said she was disappointed recently when Alsatia Club officials told her that she wouldn't be allowed to participate later this month in the organization's 87th Mummers Parade. “It's my hometown,” Madden said. “I remember being there when I was little watching all the queens go by. I just always wanted to be in it.” Parade Chairman James G. McCleaf II said the Alsatia Club denied Madden's application because the Alsatia Club only offers space to queens and princesses who are affiliated with the Miss Maryland Pageant.

Alivia Lauren Ayers, 17, of Martinsburg, W.Va., presides as Queen Pomona XXXIII of the Mountain State Apple Harvest Festival on Friday night at Apollo Civic Theatre in Martinsburg after being coronated by West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Gus Douglass. Upon being enthroned, Ayers officially proclaimed the opening of the festival, which began Thursday and continues through Sunday.

The 33rd Mountain State Apple Harvest Festival parade on Saturday is expected to effectively detour traffic in downtown Martinsburg for more than three hours, according to organizers and police. Vehicle traffic will be prohibited from traveling on the parade route and the course for Apple Trample 5K race beginning about 11:30 a.m. Saturday, police said. The parade, which starts in the 1300 block of West King Street, is slated to start at 1 p.m. With 196 parade units registered, Apple Harvest Festival board member Kevin McBee said this week he expects the procession could last three to four hours from start to finish.

The Top Five Art show opening “Spirits Unleashed” and “Maryland Memories,” exhibits by Spectrum Seven and Donna Godlove, will open with a reception, 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5. Exhibits continue through Tuesday, Oct. 30. Washington County Arts Council, 14 W. Washington St., downtown Hagerstown. Call 301-791-3132. Elizabethan fun Elizabethtowne Feaste and Frolic, a scholarship fundraiser for The University System of Maryland at Hagerstown. Renaissance era food provided by Bulls and Bears.

Hannah Horst's first official day as 2012 Franklin County Fair Queen started off unceremoniously Tuesday. She woke up at 4:30 a.m. after sleeping in her car because it was too cold in the barn. Hannah, 17, then started washing 10 calves with friends from her 4-H club in preparation for the 4-H Dairy Roundup later Tuesday morning. “I was pretty dirty,” Hannah said with a laugh. By 9 a.m., Hannah was handing out ribbons to winners of the dairy roundup. Midway through, she swapped her crown and gown for a rope and boots to show her winter calf, Klause, during the event.

One of Alicia Pownall's duties as the Berkeley County Youth Fair's newly crowned queen is to hand out blue ribbons to exhibit winners. Monday night she gave one to herself for the wool cape she made in the 4-H Style Show competition. Earlier in the day, she handed herself a red ribbon when Dip 'n Dot, her four-year-old female rabbit, took a second-place ribbon in the rabbit judging. She also won a ribbon for cake decorating. Alicia, 18, of Martinsburg, is entering a brown sexlink hen in the chicken judging competition that begins today at 11 a.m. Chicken and rabbit raising runs in the Pownall family.

Dr. Ian James MacQueen, 91, of Martinsburg, W.Va., died Saturday, July 28, 2012, at his residence. A private memorial service will be held in England at a later date. Arrangements are by Brown Funeral Home.