Spring Cleaning

The Samples Manor Cemetery Committee will start spring cleaning for Easter.  The committee asks residents who have placed memorial items such as flowers and statues on the graves of loved ones to remove and collect these items by March 15, or the committee will dispose of them.  Church to accept food donations The Samples Manor Church of God, 2128 Harpers Ferry Road near Dargan, will accept nonperishable food items at...

Jody Sanders cleans the sides of Northside Pool in Waynesboro, Pa., in preparation for the pool's opening on May 28. Sanders is employed by the Borough of Waynesboro, which owns and maintains the pool.

Spring is here! Along with the many wonders of spring comes the dubious task of spring-cleaning. Whether you're spring-cleaning is a top to bottom thorough cleaning or just a light cleaning, be sure to include your kitchen cupboards, the refrigerator and the freezer. In cupboards and pantries: -- Organize your canned goods and other non-perishable foods so that the older products are in front. Check expiration and use-by dates and discard any food that has expired or is past its prime.

No new property taxes for Funkstown FUNKSTOWN - With just a little more than a month to go before the Internal Revenue Service's tax day, Funkstown residents got a little good news - no new property taxes. The town council voted unanimously Monday to maintain the town's current tax rate. Clerk/treasurer/tax collector Brenda L. Haynes said the town's tax rate is 22 cents on every $100 worth of valuation. Councilman Jerry Walker was absent for the vote. State study on streets expected in April FUNKSTOWN - A long-awaited traffic study sat on the desk of a State of Maryland employee for months as the woman was on maternity leave, but the Town of Funkstown can expect the report next month, according to clerk/treasurer/tax collector Brenda L. Haynes.

REACH's annual spring fling is scheduled for Saturday, April 22. The event sets aside a few hours to help elderly and disabled residents of Potomac Towers or Walnut Towers do some spring cleaning - like flipping mattresses, washing windows, mopping and other cleaning chores - not easily done by many of the residents. Each year, 50 to 90 youth and adult volunteers get together from 9 a.m. to noon and make a difference helping with these chores. In this way, youth groups and civic clubs reach out and touch lives.

The town is mourning the loss of past mayor and friend of Funkstown, Bob Kline.  Kline served as mayor for 28 years, as well as serving on the Washington County Board of Education. He was known for fairness, as well as toughness. Bob and his wife, Reatha, were married for 62 years and raised three children. Many of Kline's accomplishments could easily be shared in credit with his wife, who was as much a blessing to this small town as Bob. His accomplishments were many, and his kindness was boundless.  He was a great man who will be missed indeed.

A young volunteer came from the community room, cradling a box of cleaning supplies in her arms. "I think we're on the ninth floor," Brittany Stranathan said to her friends waiting for her near the elevators. The 16-year-old Boonsboro High School student waited patiently in a hallway crowded with teenagers who were armed with paper towels and bottles of glass cleaner. Only a few people at a time could fit on the elevator, so it would be a while until everyone could get their chores started.

Smithsburg Community Volunteer Fire Co. responded to 33 calls in March The Smithsburg Community Volunteer Fire Co. responded to 33 calls for service in March 2010, according to Fire Chief Chris D. Rohrer. The calls included five structure fires and three vehicle accidents with injuries -- one of which had entrapped victims requiring extrication. The company assisted the community five times on emergency flooding situations and had six medic-assist calls. In March, 38 different personnel participated, with an average number of personnel per call of 10.65.

The 2013 Washington County Envirothon was held April 19 at the Claud E. Kitchens Outdoor Education Center at Fairview. Fourteen teams from Boonsboro, Clear Spring, Smithsburg, and Washington County Technical High School were on hand for the competition.  Students were tested with hands-on activities in soil science, aquatics, forestry, wildlife, and “Sustainable Rangeland Management: Achieving a balance between Traditional Agricultural Uses with...

The town is mourning the loss of past mayor and friend of Funkstown, Bob Kline.  Kline served as mayor for 28 years, as well as serving on the Washington County Board of Education. He was known for fairness, as well as toughness. Bob and his wife, Reatha, were married for 62 years and raised three children. Many of Kline's accomplishments could easily be shared in credit with his wife, who was as much a blessing to this small town as Bob. His accomplishments were many, and his kindness was boundless.  He was a great man who will be missed indeed.

The Samples Manor Cemetery Committee will start spring cleaning for Easter.  The committee asks residents who have placed memorial items such as flowers and statues on the graves of loved ones to remove and collect these items by March 15, or the committee will dispose of them.  Church to accept food donations The Samples Manor Church of God, 2128 Harpers Ferry Road near Dargan, will accept nonperishable food items at...

Antietam Masonic Lodge 167 in Keedysville will welcome Miss Teen Maryland USA Kirsten Nicholson during a car show open house Saturday, April 2, from 3 to 6 p.m.   The event will be highlighted by Miss Maryland Allyn Rose. Rose and Nicholson will be available for autographs and photographs. Food will also be available, as well as door prizes from NAPA. The show will feature Chevys from the 1950s to the present, with a strong emphasis on ‘Vettes.  For more information, go to www.antietamlodge197.net/content/community/openhouse2011/ . Samples Manor Cemetery to start spring cleaning The Samples Manor Cemetery Committee will start spring cleaning for Easter.

District 12 Ruritan, on the corner of Breathedsville and Manor Church roads in Fairplay, will hold an all-you-can-eat slippery beef and chicken potpie dinner Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. or until sold out.   The meal includes your choice of cole slaw or applesauce, roll, tea, coffee or water. Carryout will be available. Desserts will also be sold. Tickets cost $7 for adults and $3.50 for those ages 12 and younger.   For more information, call 301-582-1005. Miller to speak at Historical Society meeting   South Mountain State Battlefield historian John A. Miller will give a slide presentation to the Keedysville Historical Society meeting Monday, March 21, at 7 p.m. at St. Peter's Lutheran Church, 53 N. Main St., Keedysville.

Smithsburg Community Volunteer Fire Co. responded to 33 calls in March The Smithsburg Community Volunteer Fire Co. responded to 33 calls for service in March 2010, according to Fire Chief Chris D. Rohrer. The calls included five structure fires and three vehicle accidents with injuries -- one of which had entrapped victims requiring extrication. The company assisted the community five times on emergency flooding situations and had six medic-assist calls. In March, 38 different personnel participated, with an average number of personnel per call of 10.65.

Spring cleaning Hancock is in a spring cleaning mode. Citizens are encouraged to participate in Hancock Pride Day Saturday, May 9, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Large outdoor trash receptacles and power spraying equipment will be available from the town office. If you need assistance in hauling away unwanted stuff, contact the office at 301-678-5622. The hope is that everyone will take a good look at their property. Try to see it from a visitor's point of view. And if you're trying to sell it, try to see it from a potential buyer's point of view.

Today, Monday, April 6 Spring break Everyone needs a break and students are no different. There will be no school all week for Berkeley County, W.Va., public school students for the spring holiday. Classes resume Monday, April 13. Tuesday, April 7 Learn about Easter customs Easter is celebrated all around the world. Hear some of the historical German traditions associated with Easter customs at the Jonathan Hager House at Hagerstown's City Park.

I do not spring clean the way my mom did. I remember the cool, sunny days when she would throw open the windows, shove the furniture aside and take down the drapes. She'd snap on her bright yellow gloves, grab a rag, and have a go at the ceiling, walls and floors with Spic-n-Span. She went room to room, day after day, in a ritual passed down from her mother. I've had the urge to clean with such fervor less than a handful of times in my life. Each time it happened, I was nearly ready to give birth and chalked it up to the nesting phenomenon.

Lohmans, Bakers visit Caribbean Rodger and Shelva Lohman of Burnside Bridge Road, Sharpsburg, along with friends Leroy and Claira Mae Baker of Myersville, Md., cruised the Eastern Caribbean on the ship Celebrity Solstice from Feb. 15 to 22. The Lohmans and Bakers left Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and visited San Juan, Puerto Rico, Philipsburg, St. Maarten, Tortola, British Virgin Islands and Labadee, Haiti. After returning to Fort Lauderdale, the couples visited Clearwater, John's Pass, Madeira Beach and New Port Richey.