Restrooms

Washington County's parks are open from the first Saturday in May through the last Sunday in October daily from 9 a.m. to sunset. Martin L. "Marty" Snook Memorial Park is open all year. The parks are open to walk-in traffic year-round. Call 240-313-2700. Camp Harding Park Between Clear Spring and Hancock on Pecktonville Road, this 18.5-acre park has tennis, two pavilions, picnic tables, grills, play equipment, a softball field, volleyball and basketball courts, horseshoes, a boat ramp and restrooms.

Washington County's parks are open from the first Saturday in May through the last Sunday in October daily from 9 a.m. to sunset. Martin L. "Marty" Snook Memorial Park is open all year. Call 240-313-2700. · Camp Harding Park - Between Clear Spring and Hancock on Pecktonville Road, this 19-acre park has two pavilions, picnic tables, grills, play equipment, a softball field, volleyball and basketball courts, horseshoes, parking, a boat ramp and restrooms. Trout fishing and canoeing are available on Licking Creek.

Overturned empty trash cans dotted the grounds of Antietam National Battlefield on Sunday, marking the spots where more than 25,000 spectators attended Saturday's 18th Annual Salute to Independence. Park Ranger Brian Baracz, who was handing out battlefield brochures left and right Sunday at the visitors center, said that by noon on Sunday, visitors were shocked to hear so many people had been on the grounds the night before. Park Superintendent John Howard said about 40 to 45 rangers and about 10 to 15 volunteers cleaned up a majority of the park by 1:30 a.m. Sunday.

Thumbs up to all of the local road crews for the extra hours logged during the weekend reopening the dozens of snow-clogged roads in the Tri-State area. Thank you for a job well done. Thumbs up to Washington County Public Schools Superintendent Elizabeth Morgan for being named one of four finalists in the 2010 National Superintendent of the Year program. Another well-deserved honor for Morgan, who was named 2010 Maryland Superintendent of the Year in October. Thumbs down to the Maryland State Highway Administration for deciding to close the restrooms at the Sideling Hill Exhibit Center/rest area on Interstate 68 west of Hancock.

Expenses show mayor's efforts to be in touch By JULIE E. GREENE Staff Writer Hagerstown Mayor Robert E. Bruchey II spent the first few months of his administration getting in touch with his constituents and it's reflected in his expense reports. Of the $3,502 Bruchey spent his first six months in office, $339 was for mileage, according to the city's finance department. That included at least 32 trips through the West End and Westview the first three months.

New councili members sworn into office KEEDYSVILLLE - Newly elected Town Council members Richard Walton and Jackie Stranathan were sworn into office by Town Clerk Amy Simmons during Monday's meeting. Walton and Stranathan replaced incumbent council members Jim and Judy Kerns, who did not run for re-election. Resident deputy program highlighted KEEDYSVILLE - Councilman Richard Walton inquired about the town's resident deputy program during Monday's meeting.

Cowans Gap to be closed for repairs in 2002 By RICHARD F. BELISLE / Staff Writer Cowans Gap State Park was built in 1936 by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Depression. So it's time, say park officials, for a much needed $4.4 million renovation project that will close the 1,085-acre facility for the 2002 season. Steve Behe, the park's resident manager, said it will stay open throughout the 2001 season. The work will begin with the draining of a 42-acre lake at the park this fall.

Editor's note: This is the third in a four-part series of walking tours in Hagerstown. o Part one: Downtown to fairgrounds o Part two: Dry Bridge to lakeshore Today's walk covers some familiar routes in the West End, traditionally a working class neighborhood in Hagerstown. The walk is about 2.7 miles long and should take no more than a couple hours. There are no public restrooms along the tour, but several facilities offer restrooms for patrons. Start your walk near Washington Square.

"I have called about the continuous increase in services that we citizens have to put up with. " Don't you just hate increased services? "They import things from these other countries like Asia and everywhere, and they know these countries are not sanitized. " I say we fly over all these other countries and spray them with Lysol. "There are numerous people that are complaining about the way they're harassing our cars. " Name-calling and picking on poor defenseless cars is just wrong.

waynesboro@herald-mail.com FORT LOUDON, Pa. - The weather has Steve Behe down. When Behe, manager of the 1,142-acre Cowans Gap State Park, drives around the park he sees mud oozing around nearly finished construction projects. Steady April rains falling on snow left over from a winter the likes of which has not been seen here in years are making a lot of mud. Unless the ground dries out soon, the park, which has been closed since the fall of 2001 for a $4.5 million makeover, won't reopen in mid-May, the original target date, Behe said.