Spring

We've officially moved into daylight-saving time, which means spring is right around the corner. When spring hits, opportunities for fitness activities open up wide. I get excited when the weather breaks, and the wife and I can start taking the kids to do more things together outdoors. I'm eager to get the boy to City Park to harass some ducks, plus he's got some climbing on rocks to do. Our poor shut-in dog has some extra winter doggy weight to lose, as well. Now is the time to start planning your "out of the gym" activities to add some much needed variety to your fitness program.

The third annual spring artisan sale at the Pottery at Searchwell, 18839 Manor Church Road, Boonsboro, will be Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Potters Allison Severance and Blair Meerfeld will celebrate spring with the new pots from their spring firings. And with spring comes a new line of kitchen pots, including bean pots, bakers, casseroles, butter and cheese keepers, honey pots and large centerpiece bowls. Other handcrafted items from artisans will be available.

Spring has sprung even if it isn't as warm or as moist as we often think of spring. However, as weather goes in the spring here in the Great Valley, if you don't like today's weather, stick around, because tomorrow's will be different. Spring on the farm is full of new beginnings. Calves, lambs and kids are born and chicks hatch. The renewing of the land begins, as well as the wheat, rye, barley and pastures green up. Spring also comes with lots of activity and smells. There is the smell of freshly turned soil, and of course, the smell of manure.

HAGERSTOWN -- Anna Rosencrance knows what spring is all about. "I plan to go out in the garden and look for daffodils," the 4-year-old girl said Friday afternoon from high up on playground equipment at City Park. Anna was at the park with her mother, Susan Rosencrance, and her grandfather, Robert Morrison, of Williamsport. Friday was the first day of spring, and an AccuWeather meteorologist predicted this weekend will be a "tranquil" spring weekend. Today is expected to be sunny, with temperatures reaching the mid-50s, AccuWeather meteorologist Tom Kines said Friday morning.

Breathing in fresh air Feeling the fresh breeze on your face Smelling the colorful flowers This is spring Running in the green grass Hearing the birds sing Seeing little buds Bloom into roses and daisies This is spring Watching animals Prancing along the ground Seeing trees swaying in the gentle wind Watching everything become new This is spring Seeing baby animals Opening their curious eyes Growing up ...

Jordan Davis, 2, of Williamsport, slips and slides his way down this plastic tube slide at Hagerstown City Park on a warm Tuesday afternoon.

The Murray siblings of Hagerstown took advantage of Monday's mild weather to enjoy a game of basketball in their backyard. Temperatures are expected to remain warmer than usual the next two days, although showers are expected. For updated weather forecasts, go to The Herald-Mail Accuweather

The Berkeley Springs Volunteer Fire Company was called to the Berkeley Springs American Legion building around 10 a.m. Monday because of a smoking air conditioning unit, according to Morgan County Emergency Services and a Legion employee. No injuries were reported, a 911 dispatcher said. The American Legion post, which is on North Washington Street, was open after the incident. - Julie E. Greene

Nicholas Jeffrey Brandt, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Brandt of Hagerstown, recently  accepted an appointment to the Air Force Academy's Class of 2017. Brandt is a senior at Clear Spring High School, where he played varsity soccer for four years and tennis for three years. He is also active in Clear Spring High School's student government, Drama Club, Jonathan Nesbitt History Club, Link Crew and National Honor Society. He has earned regular recognition on the honor roll, and will be graduating third in his class.

Martinsburg officials are encouraging city residents to “take pride in your community” Saturday as part of the city's annual spring cleanup and anti-littering program. Free dumping of unwanted items and debris will be accepted at the city's recycling building along East Stephen Street from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday as part of the 23rd annual cleanup effort. The city will accept up to four tires per resident, along with refrigerators, air conditioning units that have been cleared of freon and all other appliances at the recycling center.

A fire Monday evening caused $100,000 in damages to a two-story house at 13156 Draper Road near Clear Spring, the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office said Tuesday. It took 73 firefighters took about 40 minutes to get the blaze under control, according to a Fire Marshal's Office news release. Authorities said the fire, which was discovered by a neighbor at 8:11 p.m., caused $85,000 in damages to the structure and $15,000 in damages to the contents. The one-alarm fire started in the attic, according to the release.

The Town of Clear Spring's proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year does not include a property tax increase for residents, but water and sewer rates are slated to increase by 2 percent each, according to town officials. The town's property tax rate, if the budget is finalized as proposed, will maintain the current property tax rate of 28 cents per $100 of assessed value, Town Clerk Juanita K. Grimm said Monday night during the Clear Spring Town Council meeting, at which the proposed budget was reviewed.

North Hagerstown's Max Ober cemented his place at the top of the Washington County tennis mountain on Monday. Ober dethroned two-time defending county boys singles champion Serge Aleshin-Guendel of Boonsboro 6-2, 6-4 in the county tournament final at North. Ober, who's undefeated this season and hasn't lost to a county opponent in two seasons, used his athleticism and net play to put pressure on Aleshin-Guendel, who came up with superb passing shots at times but struggled with his consistency.

The Clear Spring Lions Club announced the winners of the Lions American Heritage, Preservation and Patriotism Essay Contest.  This is an annual competition, and the winners' essays are sent on to District 22W to compete at the next level.  • Elementary school winners: first place - Keyana Faith; second place - Anna Grace Fleming; third place - Joanna Whitmore  • Middle school winners: first place - Bethany Doppel; second place -...

Generosity is usually a good thing, but in softball, it can prove costly. Clear Spring gifted North Hagerstown two runs on three walks and an error in the first inning of Monday's MVAL Antietam contest, and it set the tone as the Hubs rolled to a 6-0 lead and beat the Blazers 6-3. “Scoring early gave the girls confidence,” North coach Amanda Fleming said. “The first time we played them, we had a lot of errors, so we definitely played better this time around.” North (10-6, 10-3)

Members of the Clear Spring High School chapter of Future Business Leaders of America participated in the 57th annual Maryland FBLA State Leadership Conference April 18 to 20 in Hunt Valley, Md.   The conference is the culmination of a year's worth of work and effort producing chapter reports, studying and qualifying for individual and team performance events, online testing and community service in their efforts to “Ignite Innovation” in...

Two people were killed Saturday in a crash involving multiple motorcycles that shut down eastbound Interstate 70 near Exit 9 in the Indian Springs area for more than four hours, according to Maryland State Police. The accident happened when a motorcycle slowed down and struck two other motorcycles, said Sgt. Phillip Martin of Maryland State Police. Megan R. Daymude, 19, of Inwood, W.Va., who was a passenger on a 2004 Harley-Davidson operated by Mark B. Stephens, 23, of Falling Waters, W.Va., died at the scene of the accident, troopers said.