Robert Mckee

WASHINGTON COUNTY - Authorities continue examining evidence seized Jan. 31 from the home of former state delegate Robert A. McKee, Lt. Mark Knight of the Washington County Sheriff's Department said Thursday morning. No charges have been filed. McKee, who represented Subdistrict 2A in the Maryland House of Delegates, resigned in February with nearly three years left in his fourth term. During the search, investigators seized two computers, about 30 videotapes and a "significant amount" of printed material, including magazines, Washington County Sheriff Douglas Mullendore has said.

( Editor's note: Last week we asked readers to tell us who they felt would be the best choice to fill the seat left vacant by the resignation of Distct 2A Del. Robert McKee. But because Washington County's Republican Central Committee quickly chose Andrew Serafini and Gov. Martin O'Malley appointed him to fill the seat, last week's poll question was rendered moot by events.) This week's question: Is the plan to have a new Washington County Senior Center share space with Girls Inc. a good idea or is there a better site to be considered?

Delegate's parents still hospitalized after crash CHEWSVILLE - The parents of Maryland Del. Robert A. McKee remained hospitalized Friday night with injuries from a Thursday car accident. McKee, 52, and his granddaughter Tiffany Childers, 11, who were also in the car, were treated at the hospital and later released. McKee and his family were hurt Thursday when a pickup truck pulled into the path of their car on Md. 62 at about 12:20 p.m., police said. McKee's mother, Gloria McKee, 78, was in serious condition Friday night at Washington County Hospital, hospital officials said.

Annapolis - Miss Washington County Farm Bureau Holly Shifler attended the Maryland Farm Bureau Women & Young Farmers Day here with Washington County Farm Bureau President Priscilla Harsh, Public Affairs Committee Chairman David Herbst and Women Committee Chairman Betsy Herbst. David Herbst said they met with Gov. Robert Ehrlich, Lt. Gov. Michael Steele and Secretary of Agriculture Lew Riley for a question-and-answer session. He said they also met with several local lawmakers, including Dels.

A Maryland legislator representing Washington County is among those honored at the Annual Rural Awards Luncheon on Oct. 28 for "efforts to improve the quality of life in rural Maryland. " The Rural Awards and the Annual Rural Maryland Summit are sponsored by the Rural Maryland Council, the Maryland Rural Health Association, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Office of Primary Care and Rural Health, and the state's five rural regional planning and development councils.

Did your mom ever tell you not to gulp down your food? It's good advice, but according to Del. Robert McKee, R-Washington, some local students must do just that, if they want to have any lunch at all. McKee told the Maryland General Assembly's House Ways and Means Committee this week that some students spend 25 minutes of their half-hour lunch period just standing in line. "Basically, they have five minutes to swallow whole the lunch that they bought," McKee said. McKee's proposed remedy is to extend the lunch period to an hour.

Even though it didn't work well in the Hagerstown City Council race, a group of Western Maryland delegates to the Maryland General Assembly has decided to run as a slate in the 2006 campaign. If the effort forces the candidates to stake out clear and firm positions, that would be a good thing. If it is only a mechanism to raise enough money to bury their foes in a mound of dollar bills, that would not be so good. Like their counterparts in the city, the members of this slate are Republicans.

The Washington County Republican Central Committee said Monday it has received 19 letters of interest from people who are seeking the appointment to the Subdistrict 2A seat in the Maryland House of Delegates vacated by Robert McKee. The Committee is in the process of reviewing each applicant's information, according to an e-mail from the committee. The committee released only the names of the candidates. Penny Pittman, central committee chairwoman, on Monday declined to release a list of where the candidates are employed.

Last week, Republican Del. Christopher Shank said he would like to "bury the hatchet" with Democratic Del. John Donoghue, his one-time mentor in local politics. Whether Donoghue believes this peace offering is sincere or just Shank's reaction to pressure from the public or other elected officials, we recommend he treat it as genuine, unless or until Shank does something to indicate it isn't. According to Del. Robert McKee, R-Washington, Donoghue is upset because - among other things - Shank supported Paul Muldowney's recent attempt to unseat him. That action was in sharp contrast to Donoghue's decision to stay neutral in Shank's race against Democratic Del. Bruce Poole.

tarar@herald-mail.com Two Washington County delegates will meet Monday with Cascade Committee members about issues concerning the former Fort Ritchie U.S. Army base, but members of the media will not be permitted to attend, Del. Robert McKee said Wednesday. McKee, R-Washington, said he and Del. Christopher B. Shank will meet with the Cascade Committee to discuss the recent resignations of PenMar Development Corp. board members and other Fort Ritchie issues. The meeting will be at 1:30 p.m. at the Germantown Church of God in Cascade.

BALTIMORE - Former Maryland Del. Robert A. McKee was sentenced Friday to 37 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography. U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles Jr. imposed the sentence on McKee, who pleaded guilty in September to a charge of possession of child pornography. Quarles ordered McKee, of Halfway, to report to the federal Bureau of Prisons on Jan. 12, 2009. The bureau will notify him as to which institution he is to report to then, Quarles said.

BALTIMORE -- Former Maryland Del. Robert A. McKee was sentenced Friday to 37 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography. U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles Jr. imposed the sentence on McKee, who pleaded guilty in September to a charge of possession of child pornography. Quarles ordered McKee, of Halfway, to report to the federal Bureau of Prisons on Jan. 12, 2009. The bureau will notify him as to which institution he is to report to then, Quarles said.

WASHINGTON COUNTY - Authorities continue examining evidence seized Jan. 31 from the home of former state delegate Robert A. McKee, Lt. Mark Knight of the Washington County Sheriff's Department said Thursday morning. No charges have been filed. McKee, who represented Subdistrict 2A in the Maryland House of Delegates, resigned in February with nearly three years left in his fourth term. During the search, investigators seized two computers, about 30 videotapes and a "significant amount" of printed material, including magazines, Washington County Sheriff Douglas Mullendore has said.

Andrew Serafini is a fantastic choice to replace McKee To the editor: I thoroughly enjoyed the recent series of articles about the appointment of Andrew Serafini to replace Del. Robert McKee. The stories accurately portrayed the essence of the humble, Godly man I have been proud to call friend through his many years of selfless service at Maranatha Brethren Church and Grace Academy. I applaud the Republican Central Committee for their wisdom in selecting such a well qualified man for the job of representing Washington County.

( Editor's note: Last week we asked readers to tell us who they felt would be the best choice to fill the seat left vacant by the resignation of Distct 2A Del. Robert McKee. But because Washington County's Republican Central Committee quickly chose Andrew Serafini and Gov. Martin O'Malley appointed him to fill the seat, last week's poll question was rendered moot by events.) This week's question: Is the plan to have a new Washington County Senior Center share space with Girls Inc. a good idea or is there a better site to be considered?

Thumbs up to Kevin Bartholomew and Elizabeth Hunt, teachers at Springfield Middle School, for work on their school's math, science and technology magnet program that won honors from Maryland's State Advisory Council on Gifted Education. Also honored were Superintendent Elizabeth Morgan, Boonsboro Principal Scott Woods, for his school's world languages program and Eastern Elementary School enrichment specialist Ruth Sklencar, for leading her school's enrichment program. Thumbs up to David Kurz, a 17-year-old senior at Smithsburg High School, for founding the Smithsburg High School Environmental Club in his first year there.

The Washington County Republican Central Committee said Monday it has received 19 letters of interest from people who are seeking the appointment to the Subdistrict 2A seat in the Maryland House of Delegates vacated by Robert McKee. The Committee is in the process of reviewing each applicant's information, according to an e-mail from the committee. The committee released only the names of the candidates. Penny Pittman, central committee chairwoman, on Monday declined to release a list of where the candidates are employed.

When Washington County's Republican Central Committee recommends someone to replace Del. Robert McKee, the committee should pick a person who's willing to work with Democrats to advance policies favorable to Western Maryland. McKee, 58 and in his 14th year as a Maryland delegate, resigned after revelations of a police investigation into allegations of child pornography in his Halfway home. He served in subdistrict 2A, which covers northern parts of Washington County, including Williamsport, Maugansville, Smithsburg and Cascade.

Last week, Republican Del. Christopher Shank said he would like to "bury the hatchet" with Democratic Del. John Donoghue, his one-time mentor in local politics. Whether Donoghue believes this peace offering is sincere or just Shank's reaction to pressure from the public or other elected officials, we recommend he treat it as genuine, unless or until Shank does something to indicate it isn't. According to Del. Robert McKee, R-Washington, Donoghue is upset because - among other things - Shank supported Paul Muldowney's recent attempt to unseat him. That action was in sharp contrast to Donoghue's decision to stay neutral in Shank's race against Democratic Del. Bruce Poole.

"Best of luck and good wishes to the cast and crew of North High's 'Oklahoma.' You guys sound amazing. Opening night is Thursday. Come and see them, they're fantastic. " - Hagerstown "I want to thank the security officer at Washington County Hospital for his honesty and integrity. I left my purse with more than $500 in the employee parking lot one evening. He found it on his rounds and contacted me at home. I was very grateful to get my personal items, credit cards and cash back!"