Rise

o For those buried in debt, bankruptcy is a lifeline o Creditors lose when customers file bankruptcy The latest statistics from http://www.uscourts.gov , which tracks such records, show that in the 12 months from April 1, 2009, to March 31, 2010, a total of 1.5 million cases were filed. That's 27 percent more than the 1.2 million filed during the previous 12 months. The young woman was well-spoken, so the bankruptcy official was puzzled when she hesitated before giving her home address.

Construction fees could rise Fees for new construction in Hagerstown could be going up. The Hagerstown City Council on Tuesday asked the city's engineer and planning director to further study city fees for reviewing new development plans. Councilman Lewis C. Metzner said the fees should at least be enough to cover the cost of reviewing plans. Metzner said some fees should be increased to discourage some development, such as new rental housing. No specific fee increases were discussed Tuesday.

Bankruptcies on rise in Washington County The number of people and businesses in Washington County filing for bankruptcy tripled from 1995 to 1997, mirroring a nationwide trend that is straining courts and reshaping the way people manage their debts. In 1995, there were 407 bankruptcies originating from Washington County, according to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court's Maryland District. By last year, that number had jumped to 1,220. Statewide, officials say they have not seen quite as dramatic a rise, but court officials said filings are rising.

Between 2 and 4 inches of snow had been expected to fall in most areas starting about 8 p.m. Wednesday and ending around midnight, according to the National Weather Service. However, given the recent warm weather and road-pavement temperatures well above freezing Wednesday, state highway officials were leaning toward a "minor event" for travel Thursday morning in Washington County, said David Buck, spokesman for the Maryland State Highway Administration. State highway officials were not anticipating problems on Interstate 81 or Interstate 70 in Washington County on Thursday morning.

Inmate fees on the rise in Berkeley County MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - Inmate fees at the Eastern Regional Jail will increase by about 9 percent, and a Berkeley County Commissioner said the commission will either have to pass a tax increase or cut services to pay for it. The cost to house an inmate at the regional jail will increase from $39.50 a day to $43.25 a day beginning July 1, Commission President Howard Strauss said. Strauss said it's going to cost the commission about $200,000 to offset the fee hike.

Chris Gaver, 12, of Hagerstown, uses a tree in his Summit Avenue front yard for pitching practice Friday afternoon. Temperatures are expected to rise over the next several days, which could melt some of the snow.

As Tropical Storm Dennis heads inland, northwest from Florida, Washington County will see more humidity and possibly rain, according to a weather service spokesperson. The area forecast for today is mostly sunny, with a high temperature in the low 90s, Jackie Hale, a spokeswoman for the National Weather Service in Sterling, Va., said Sunday night. On Tuesday, the high temperature in the Hagerstown area will be in the upper 80s and the humidity will rise, Hale said. Tuesday night, the sky is expected to change from clear to partly cloudy.

Minor league umpires settled their season-long strike, ratifying a six-year contract Tuesday that calls for a $100 monthly salary increase. Umps had said their salaries previously averaged $15,000 at Triple-A, $12,000 at Double-A, $10,000 in full-season A-ball and $5,500 in rookie leagues. As part of the new deal, per diems rise $3 to $28 at Triple-A, $25 at Double-A and $23 at Class A. They will rise gradually to $40 at Triple-A in 2011, $35 at Double-A and $30 at Class A. Umpires will return to work by June 12. They had been on strike since minor league seasons began April 6. Umps and the Professional Baseball Umpire Corporation agreed to a contract April 27, but umpires rejected that agreement by a 2-1 margin on May 1. The sides resumed talks last Wednesday with the assistance of a federal mediator.

4 cups starter 1 2/3 cups water 4 tablespoons honey 1/2 cup brown sugar 3 1/3 cups high-gluten bread flour 2/3 cup whole-wheat flour 2/3 cup cornmeal 2/3 cup oat or wheat bran 2/3 cup rolled oats 6 tablespoons cooked brown rice 3 3/4 teaspoons salt After you have prepared your starter, in a large bowl use your hands or a rubber scraper to mix the water, honey, brown sugar and starter mix until the ingredients begin to...

Charles Town residents seek accessibility By DAVE McMILLION / Staff Writer, Charles Town photo: RICHARD T. MEAGHER / staff photographer CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - The curb outside the high-rise where Louis Hertelendy lives is barely 2 inches high, but it's enough to complicate his day. Hertelendy, who has multiple sclerosis, uses a specially designed, six-wheel wheelchair. continued When the first two wheels run up the edge of the curb, they lift the wheelchair high enough that the two big drive wheels in the middle cannot touch the ground.

She started her story with the night she was paralyzed - a then 18-year-old lying on the side of a European road, rain splashing on her face, a searing pain as she tried to stretch. “I can't stand to touch my body,” she said. “It feels like a stranger. I place my hands high on my chest where I can feel me.”  On her flight home from Spain, her gurney was situated over the airplane seats and she was concealed behind curtains. “Midway through the flight, a strange woman sticks her head between the curtains and asks me the question that I will hear for the rest of my life: 'We've all been wondering, what's wrong with you?

The family movie “Rise of the Guardians” will be shown Saturday at 3 p.m. at Hancock Library in Widmeyer Park.  When an evil spirit known as Pitch lays down the gauntlet to take over the world, the immortal Guardians must join forces for the first time to protect the hopes, beliefs and imagination of children all over the world. The movie is rated PG. Admission is free, and refreshments will be served.  To register, call 301-678-5300.   Poetry workshop The second of two poetry writing and reading workshops takes place Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Hancock Community Center.  Space is limited and there is a registration fee of $20. The workshop will be led by Dina Coe, award-winning poet and teacher, and assisted by poet and teacher Karen Randlev, author of “Light Runner.”   To register call 301-678-6700.

Berkeley County Council made no change to its levy rates Tuesday, but some property owners might still see an increase in their tax bills due to increased property values.    County Council President Anthony J. “Tony” Petrucci said Tuesday that the rates were left unchanged, even with the overall improvement in property values, to provide “a little cushion” for the county to operate. For the 2013-2014 fiscal year, the levy rate for Class II property, which includes owner-occupied homes, will be 27.8 cents per $100 of assessed property value, according to county budget documents.

Waynesboro head coach Greg Chandler said the mark of a good team is when it keeps picking up victories even when it is not playing its best ball. If that holds true, then the rest of the Mid-Penn Colonial Division might need to start worrying. The Indians, behind a complete-game performance from John Barr, overcame a series of blunders to remain undefeated in conference play, defeating James Buchanan 7 - 4 on Thursday afternoon. “Right now we're not playing the best baseball,” Chandler said.

Staff at Meritus Medical Center on Monday placed nearly 1,600 pinwheels outside the hospital's main entrance, each one representing a reported case of child abuse in Washington County last year. The event was held in observance of Child Abuse Prevention and Sexual Assault Awareness Month. “It'd be so great to see us in the 22nd century look back on the 21st century and say we eliminated sexual and child abuse,” said Jesus Cepero, vice president and chief nursing officer of Meritus Health.

The unemployment rate in Franklin County, Pa., inched upward to 7.3 percent in January, but the county is facing sharper hikes because of sequestration. At Chambersburg's Letterkenny Army Depot alone, at least 51 employees are facing job losses due to federal budget cuts. The rest of the 4,000 workers could undergo furloughs. On Tuesday, the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry released unemployment data for January. Franklin County's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased two-tenths of a percentage point to 7.3 percent.

Baltimore Ravens running back Bernard Pierce has come a long way from his high school days in Philadelphia. And if he has his way, he'll help make sure other kids don't have to travel the same troubled paths he has. One month after the Ravens' victory in Super Bowl XLVII, Pierce paid a visit to The Baby Sitter Child Care Center on Northern Avenue in Hagerstown on Thursday afternoon. He held a brief but poignant question-and-answer session with youth at the center before signing autographs.

Property values in Berkeley County appear to have stabilized after three years of decline, county officials said Thursday's Berkeley County Council meeting. The assessed valuation of property for 2013, which is used to project tax revenue, increased by $37.1 million from 2012, according to information Berkeley County Assessor Larry A. Hess provided to the Berkeley County Council. The assessed value for 2013 is about $4.6 billion. “It's very good news,” County Administrative Officer Deborah Hammond said.

With flu cases on the rise in Washington County, Meritus Medical Center officials are asking people not to visit patients in the hospital and the Washington County Health Department plans to hold four flu vaccination clinics over the next two weeks. Meritus Health issued a press release Friday encouraging people, especially those who have flu-like symptoms or who are vulnerable to the flu, to forego visits to patients in the hospital. “This is an effort to keep patients and visitors safe,” Meritus Health Communications Manager Nicole Jovel said.

For Friday through Sunday Movie times listed are those provided as of noon Wednesday and may be revised by theaters at any time. MARYLAND LEITERSBURG CINEMAS 20145 Leitersburg Pike, Hagerstown • 240-329-2093 www.leitersburgcinemas.com Killing Them Softly (R) - Fri. - 1:40, 3:45, 5:50, 7:55, 10:10 p.m.; Sat. - 10:50 a.m., 1:05, 3:10, 5:15, 7:25, 9:30 p.m.; Sun. - 1:40, 3:45, 5:50, 7:55 p.m. Life of Pi (PG) - Fri. - 1:50, 4:30, 7:05, 9:40 p.m.; Sat. - 10:40 a.m., 1:15, 3:50, 6:25, 9 p.m.; Sun. - 1:50, 4:30, 7:05 p.m. Lincoln (PG-13)