Silver

MERCERSBURG, Pa. - James Buchanan High School's FFA Agricultural Sales team - Garrett Rice, Garrison Pleasanter, Stephanie Jones and Julie St. Clair - won a silver medal in the national competition. In the event, the team did a sales presentation on selling a 317 John Deere Skid Steer. They also had to answer 50 multiple choice questions on agriculture sales and marketing. Each student had individual practicum on customer relations - solving a customer's problem. They also had a group project involving a market analysis and sales situation, in which they were judged on their ability to work together in solving and presenting the situation.

BEIJING (AP) -- Ukrainian athlete Lyudmila Blonska was stripped of her Olympic heptathlon silver medal Friday, the highest-profile athlete kicked out of the Beijing Games so far for doping. The International Olympic Committee said Blonska tested positive for the steroid methyltestosterone after finishing second in the heptathlon last Saturday behind teammate Nataliia Dobrynska. Blonska was temporarily suspended by the IOC on Thursday, and her medal was officially removed Friday by the IOC executive board.

WAYNESBORO, Pa. - When Autumn Phillips began figure skating in third grade, the 17-year-old had no idea she one day would win a medal in the 2007 State Games of America. "I don't really know why (my brother, Kyle, and I) started ice skating - my mom just asked us if we wanted to skate," said Phillips, who is the daughter of Niles and Dawn Phillips of Waynesboro. When Phillips first began figure skating, she said she quickly moved up the skill levels. "You start to learn in skate levels whenever you are younger," she said.

A woman who pleaded no contest in September 2012 to child neglect resulting in the death of her 2-month-old son was sentenced Tuesday in Berkeley County Circuit Court to between three and 15 years in prison. Jessica Skupnick, 24, and her now-former boyfriend, Dominic Hall, were indicted in October 2011 on two felony counts of death of a child by a parent, custodian or guardian, and single counts of child neglect resulting in death, gross child neglect creating substantial risk of bodily injury, and conspiracy.

In all, 26 members of the Clear Spring FFA Chapter recently attended the 78th National FFA Convention in Louisville, Ky. The members participated in career development events and were recognized for their achievements in the FFA. Here are the results: · Hannah Smith participated in the Agricultural Science Fair and received recognition for her experiment comparing the nutrition value of colostrums from different breeds and ages of...

Members of the FFA chapter at Clear Spring High School returned home recently with several medals from the 77th National FFA Convention in Louisville, Ky. In all, the school sent six teams. Here are the results: · A team, coached by ag teacher Susan Lowery, composed of Derek Hanes, Derrick Mundey, Robert Boden and Larry Hose placed 11th of the 38 teams in the Environmental/Natural Resources Career Development Event, winning a gold medal. In the individual competition, Boden won a gold medal and a $500 scholarship.

Members of the Clear Spring FFA Chapter were among 38 teams participating in the 2008 National FFA Forestry Career Development Event (CDE). The team members were J.D. Repp, Kerrington Gray, Stefanie Turner and Allison Moore. Participants in the event were asked to answer questions on tree and equipment identification, take a general knowledge exam and complete interactive forestry applications such as timber cruising, timber stand improvement, and orienteering. Allison Moore was a gold medalist, finishing fifth in the event.

Members of the Smithsburg FFA Chapter represented the Maryland FFA Association in the 2008 National FFA Farm Business Management Career Development Event (CDE) held Oct. 22-25 during the 81st National FFA Convention. The team was recognized with a silver team award. John Martin earned a gold medal. Kayla Anderson received a bronze medal and Kerri Nicley, and Dan Ridenour were individual silver medalists. The competition is sponsored by John Deere as a special project of the National FFA Foundation.

Fifteen members of the Boonsboro FFA chapter plus advisors, Steve Garland and Mark Heavner, went to the 79th Maryland State FFA Convention in late April in Lithicum Heights, Md. Chapter Vice President Megan Thompson won election as vice president of Maryland's FFA. In the competition, Sammy Spencer won first place gold in Sr. Prepared Public Speaking for her speech entitled, "Agriculture is Plowing the Way for America's Energy Independence....

An FFA team from Clear Spring High School has won a gold medal in the National FFA Environmental/Natural Resources competition in Indianapolis, Ind. The team earned fifth place among 40 teams from across the nation. Three of those on Clear Spring's team also brought home gold medals - and a $500 National FFA Scholarship for each of them - for their individual efforts. Among all competitors, scholarship winners Adam Lipella won fifth place, Garrett Hamby won 17th place, and Adam Reid won 20th place.

A woman who pleaded no contest in September 2012 to child neglect resulting in the death of her 2-month-old son was sentenced Tuesday in Berkeley County Circuit Court to between three and 15 years in prison. Jessica Skupnick, 24, and her now-former boyfriend, Dominic Hall, were indicted in October 2011 on two felony counts of death of a child by a parent, custodian or guardian, and single counts of child neglect resulting in death, gross child neglect creating substantial risk of bodily injury, and conspiracy.

A circuit judge said Wednesday he needed more information before sentencing a woman who pleaded no contest in September 2012 to child neglect resulting in the death of her 2-month-old son, Jaxon. Twenty-third Judicial Circuit Judge Gray Silver III said he heard some things in Wednesday's sentencing hearing for Jessica Skupnick, 24, that prompted him to recess the proceeding until April 9 so the court could obtain the unspecified information. Wednesday's hearing lasted more than two hours and included testimony by Skupnick, who faces a maximum of three to 15 years in prison, and her paternal grandmother.

A woman's vehicle was carjacked as she parked in her driveway at about midnight Wednesday in a housing development near Hagerstown, the Washington County Sheriff's Office said. Deputies responded around midnight to the 17900 block of Golf View Drive near the intersection of Downsville Pike and Oak Ridge Drive for a report of a carjacking, according to a sheriff's office news release. An investigation determined that the victim was approached by a man after she parked her 2006 silver Kia Sedona in the driveway of her residence.

This was a problematic election for people of my ilk, because the art of punditry might just have experienced a John Henry moment. Worse, many pundits doubled down, proclaiming that machine could never beat man in the art of tea-leaf reading, taking specific aim at the steam-powered hammer of Nate Silver and his 538 forecasting model, which digests polling and economic statistics and spits out projected election results. Before the election, Silver was subject to intense criticism from those bosom buddies, the mainstream media and the Republican Party.

A search for an ultralight aircraft that supposedly went down in a wooded area near National Pike Sunday afternoon was determined to be some silver balloons caught in a tree, said a spokesman for the Clear Spring Volunteer Fire Department. Authorities received a call at about 4:12 p.m. Sunday indicating it appeared an aircraft went down in the area of National Pike and Big Pool Road, said Capt. Zack Reid. Rescue crews found about five balloons, which appeared to be birthday balloons, Reid said.

Virginia Lee Silver, 60, of Hedgesville, W.Va., died Saturday, May 5, 2012, at her home. The family will receive friends Monday from 7 to 9 p.m. at Back Creek Valley Full Gospel Church. The service will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. at the church. Burial will be in Back Creek Valley Full Gospel Cemetery. Arrangements are by Brown Funeral Home, Martinsburg, W.Va.

North Hagerstown sophomore Emily Ward left it all on the Prince George's Sports and Learning Complex track during the Class 3A girls 1,600-meter run Tuesday evening at the Maryland State Indoor Track & Field Championships. Ward fought through the pain to stay in a lead group that was four runners early, then three with two laps to go before the final lap became a battle between her and Hereford sophomore Sarah Ashwood. Ashwood held off Ward in the final 50 meters to win in 5:16.33, while Ward settled for second in 5:18.

Every second counts in the sport of cross country, and Saturday was a big day of seconds for Washington County boys at the Maryland state championships at Hereford High School - in more ways than one. Senior Evan Hardy placed second in the Class 2A race, leading Williamsport to a second-place team finish, while Smithsburg junior Luke Daigneault finished second in Class 1A. “I'm really disappointed that I didn't win,” Hardy said. “But I'd take second any day as long as the team got second instead of third or fourth.” The Williamsport boys, who haven't won a team title at states since 1975, hadn't placed as high as second since 1978.

The owner of WJAL has been trying for several years to move the TV station's license location from Hagerstown to Silver Spring, Md., and show Spanish programming. A bureau of the Federal Communications Commission denied a petition in 2003 and a follow-up request in 2004. But Entravision Holdings LLC, which owns WJAL, has a pending application for the whole commission to consider its request. The station has gotten support from a few members of Congress, including U.S. Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin, D-Md.

Michael Kelly Silver, 42, of Berkeley Springs, W.Va., died Monday, Sept. 26, 2011. The family will receive friends Friday from 3 to 4 p.m. at Brown Funeral Home, Martinsburg, W.Va. The service will be Friday at 4 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be private.