Safety

Friday night lights. Gridiron glory. With the start of a new school year comes another fall ritual - the return of football. But as teams step onto the field, coaches are chalking more than Xs and Os. Concussions are now part of their play books. There was a time when head traumas were called dingers and playing with injury was a sign of toughness. You got your bell rung, you sat out a play and then went right back into the huddle. But with former National Football League players bringing more public attention to the topic, the affects of concussions are being addressed at all levels of athletics, including youth programs.

What Pennsylvania's State Department calls a “safety net” photo identification card is now available to certain registered voters. The card, which is being rolled out Monday and Tuesday at PennDOT centers, was developed in response to complaints many voters cannot qualify for a conventional PennDOT identification card. To apply, voters must first apply for a PennDOT card. If they cannot provide the required birth certificate, officials say they'll be issued a State Department card so long as they're registered to vote, know their Social Security number and can verify their address.

A Martinsburg-area contractor was the apparent low bidder for heating, ventilation and air-conditioning work to be done in Berkeley County's new public safety building for the sheriff's department's law-enforcement division. The $340,000 bid by Air-ROW Sheet Metal Co. Inc., announced Thursday by Berkeley County Council President William L. “Bill” Stubblefield, was $9,000 less than the bid submitted by Hagerstown-based M.S. Johnston Co. Inc. Millers Electric Co. Inc., also of Martinsburg, submitted a $434,200 bid for the county project under way at 510 S. Raleigh St. A fourth bid was rejected because the contractor failed to attend a mandatory prebid conference, Berkeley County Deputy Administrator Alan Davis said.

Witnesses testifying Monday in an evidence hearing for a 2009 slaying described a victim who prayed for her safety, sought legal protection, and changed her phone number and locks. Franklin County (Pa.) Court of Common Pleas Judge Richard Walsh heard testimony throughout the morning as the lawyers and judge determine what evidence will be used in Marcus Wallace's December trial. Wallace, 41, is charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, burglary, criminal trespass, criminal mischief, attempted criminal homicide and aggravated assault.

On an improved defense last season, the Washington Redskins' safety play was still a weak link. Strong side starter LaRon Landry never truly recovered from the Achilles injury that ended his 2010 season prematurely, and newcomer Oshiomogho Atogwe was often ailing and wasn't the playmaker he had been during his best years with the St. Louis Rams. Exit Landry and Atgowe. Enter free agents Brandon Meriweather, Madieu Williams and Tanard Jackson. The 28-year-old Meriweather was a Pro Bowl player in New England in 2009 and 2010.

AARP is offering its driver safety course to those who are employed or retired from the education field. The course this month and in August will be offered at a reduced cost of $5. The offer is for teachers, professors, principals, guidance counselors, school secretaries, administrators, cafeteria workers, maintenance and janitorial personnel, bus drivers and anyone else who is retired from or is working for any private or public education institution....

The Community Grace Church, at 17 N. Washington St. in Greencastle, has opened as a cooling shelter. The shelter is being supported by Franklin County Department of Emergency Services. It will have cots, water and refreshments. The Franklin County Department of Emergency Services, along with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, is offering the following safety tips for dealing with the hot weather: • Stay indoors in air conditioning as much as possible. • Drink plenty of water during the day - don't wait until you are thirsty!

The Hagerstown Fire Marshal's Office is reminding the community to be safe while enjoying the July 4 holiday. “Fireworks are a favored July Fourth tradition, and citizens should know how to use the fireworks safely, responsibly and legally,” City of Hagerstown spokeswoman Erin Wolfe said in a news release. Reading the label helps to determine if a firework is legal or illegal. Examples of legal fireworks will have phrases printed on them such as “emits showers of sparks” or simply “flammable,” Wolfe said.

Franklin County has implemented a new ambulance-response system to improve safety for emergency crews and the general public by using lights and sirens only when necessary, officials said Wednesday. The Franklin County Department of Emergency Services, in conjunction with the Franklin County EMS Chief's Association, put a priority-dispatching system in place on May 1, according to David Donohue, Franklin County emergency management coordinator. The system uses a question-type format to determine the severity of the patient's condition, provide the caller with instructions to begin patient care and determine response criteria.

Kelly Herd's 2-year-old daughter, Lila, doesn't like getting into her car seat. She “makes a stink” about it, according to her mother, who was hopeful the safety message at Kids Alive Fest 2012 Saturday would make a positive impact. Herd, of Hagerstown, was among hundreds of parents who took their children to the 21st annual open house at Children's Village of Washington County Inc., according to executive director Rochelle Morrell. Crowds gathered for K-9, automobile extrication and helicopter landing demonstrations at the Mount Aetna Road facility.