Queen

Crystal Welling was named Washington County Ag Expo and Fair queen and Sabrina Smith was named princess last week at the Ag Center off Sharpsburg Pike. Crystal, 15, is the daughter of Donald and Elizabeth Welling of Hagerstown. She attends Clear Spring High School, and is a cheerleader and a member of the FFA. Her fair exhibit was a decorative wall hanging. Sabrina, 14, is the daughter of Tim and Dawn Smith of Williamsport. She will attend Williamsport High School, and is a member of the Junior Fair Board, a counselor for the Adventures in Agriculture Day Camp and a member of the Washington County 4-H Dairy Club.

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Pa. - Contestants are currently being sought for 2009 Franklin County Fair Queen, Princess and Little Miss. Any single young women, ages 7 to 20, from Franklin County are eligible to compete, according to a news release. The fair queen and her court spend one-year traveling Franklin County and promoting the fair by attending festivals, banquets, schools and parades. Also, the queen represents Franklin County at the Pennsylvania Fair Queen competition, the news release stated.

Koko Taylor, 'Queen of the Blues,' dies at 80 Bank robbery suspects identified, charged Jessica A. Benedict, 21 Two GAHS seniors charged with vandalism are expelled Graduate has perfect attendance record

o Herald-Mail interview with Koko Taylor from 2000 CHICAGO (AP) -- Koko Taylor, a sharecropper's daughter whose regal bearing and powerful voice earned her the sobriquet "Queen of the Blues," has died after complications from surgery. She was 80. Taylor performed at the Western Maryland Blues Fest in Hagerstown in 2000. Taylor died Wednesday at Northwestern Memorial Hospital about two weeks after having surgery for a gastrointestinal bleed, said Marc Lipkin, director of publicity for her record label, Alligator Records, which made the announcement.

State Recognition Days for TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) was held April 27 and 28 in Annapolis. TOPS Chapter 77 was represented by the following winners: Madalyn Keller, queen runner-up with a 77-pound loss; Bea Myers, Division 3 first-place winner with a loss of 46 pounds; Louise Cline, Division 4 first-place winner with a loss of 46.75 pounds. She was also the chapter queen; Joan Budny, Division 5 second-place winner with a 10-pound loss; Angie Youngblood, Division 7 first-place winner with a loss of 37.50 pounds.

WAYNESBORO, Pa. - Queen Victoria will be the focus of the annual Waynesboro Historical Society Tea at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 2, and Sunday, May 3, at Oller House, 138 W. Main St. This year's theme is "Afternoon Tea with Queen Victoria. " Jenny Poniske of Waynesboro will appear in Victorian-era costume and discuss the British monarch from an American perspective. About 45 seats are available for each tea. Tickets cost $18; $15 for society members. Groups of eight or more can purchase tickets for $15 each.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - Franklin County Beekeepers reorganized and named their 2009 Honey Queen at the association's winter meeting. Richard Paine of Chambersburg, Pa., was re-elected president of the association. Vince Stone was elected vice president. Other officers include Trish Blubaugh of Greencastle, Pa., secretary/treasurer; and Loretto George of Chambersburg, assistant secretary-treasurer. Ron George of Chambersburg, was seated as a director, joining incumbens Omar Barnhart and Grace Bender.

Michaux Manor, an assisted living community in South Mountain, Pa., held its annual Valentine's Day luncheon Feb. 13. Arden and Ann Benshoff, above, were voted Michaux Valentine's Day King and Queen. Michaux Manor employees also gave cards to residents. The event was attended by residents, staff and family members who were served a variety of Valentine's desserts.

FREDERICK, Md. - For his directorial debut for the Maryland Ensemble Theatre, Reiner Prochaska faced the challenge of adapting "The Snow Queen," for the MET's family-friendly stage, The Fun Company. Which meant he had to make a children's story more than a century old relevant to a contemporary audience. The version also had to please the kiddies without torturing their parents. The play, which opens Saturday, Dec. 13, will have to keep the momentum going for a seven-show run. Did we mention that this was Prochaska's directorial debut?

McCONNELLSBURG, Pa. - Neither rain nor hail nor wind nor lightning could keep five young women off the stage at the 88th annual Fulton County (Pa.) Fair. The teenagers rehearsed in seriously inclement weather on Sunday afternoon, but calmer skies opened over the evening ceremony for the fair queen contestants. Chosen as the winner was Olivia Strait, 17, of McConnellsburg. Cortnee Henry, 17, of Hustontown, Pa., was named first runner-up. Strait talked about the variety of people needed to make the fair successful in what was her first time speaking before a crowd.