Staples

By CLYDE FORD Staff Writer, Charles Town CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - Office supply giant Staples plans to open a store in Charles Town on Feb. 16, a store official said Thursday. Work has begun to convert the former Barnhart's grocery store off U.S. 340 for use as a Staples. The store is in the Charles Town Plaza near the new Wal-Mart Supercenter, which opened in October. This gives the shopping center a second "anchor" store and comes at a time when the entire shopping center complex is being renovated to spruce up its image.

By CLYDE FORD Staff Writer CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - Kay Standish pushed a shopping cart slowly through the aisles of the new Staples Friday afternoon as if she wanted to check out each of the more than 6,000 items carefully. "I love it," she said. "I think it's great. It'll be nice to not have to go so far away to get supplies. " The office supply giant opened up the doors Friday to a steady stream of customers, many of whom said they used to travel to Frederick, Md., or Winchester, Va., to buy their office supplies before.

By STEVEN T. DENNIS Staff Writer Commercial and industrial construction in Washington County - led by the new Staples distribution center - has rocketed in the last couple of years, officials say. "We've seen an incredible turnaround," said contractor George Stone, president of Building Systems Inc. "Back three or four years ago everything kind of died and the competition was terrible. The last couple years, we've had about all the work we can handle. " Stone said low interest rates and a spurt of economic development projects have helped.

The Staples Distribution Center on Hopewell Road in Hagerstown will hire at least 100 employees between late May and mid-July, said Walt Lachenmayr, the distribution center's human resources manager. Lachenmayr said the jobs primarily will be for equipment operators and material handlers. Although Lachenmayr did not give a salary range, he said some of the jobs will pay more than $12 per hour depending on experience. All of the positions carry full benefits, including health and 401(k)

GREENCASTLE, Pa. - American Fibertech Corp., doing business as Industrial Pallet Corp., and the Franklin County Area Development Corp. will renovate a building on Carlisle Street in an expansion project that will bring in 51 jobs over the next three years, according to state Sen. Terry Punt, R-Waynesboro. Punt secured a $466,000 loan from the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority to be used toward the project, the total cost of which is pegged at more than $1.5 million, according to a news release from Punt's office.

Wallpaper border adds a nice touch Heloise got the following spruce-up idea from one of her assistants: She stapled lengths of wallpaper border to the walls in a place where she lived for a short time. The holes from the staples were tiny - not harming the border or the wall. When she moved to her new home, she took the border down and used it again.

By BRUCE HAMILTON / Staff Writer photo: RIC DUGAN / staff photographer Hundreds of needy children got free backpacks filled with school supplies at the Staples store on Wesel Boulevard Sunday. "We didn't want to see any students start their first day without having what they need," said Lesley Smith, chairwoman of Staples Associates Community Involvement Team, a group of the company's employees. [cont. from front page ] Smith said she learned from another organization, Children In Need, that 653 Washington County children went to school without proper supplies last year.

C. William Hetzer awarded contract The Washington County Commissioners on Tuesday awarded a $1.18 million contract to C. William Hetzer Inc. for several road projects. The 60-day contract includes the reclamation of pavement followed by new surface paving on Landis, Whitehall and Agricultural Center Access roads and Industrial Lane, according to a county document. Work also will be done on Governor Lane Boulevard, followed by new surface paving. Work is to begin on or about Aug. 19 and be completed by Oct. 18. Commissioners honor marbles champ National Marbles Champion Jeremy Hulse received a Certificate of Merit from the Washington County Commissioners on Tuesday.

Kelly Lynn McCarney and Michael Wayne Benner were married Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Smitshburg. The bride is the daughter of Lennie and Susan McCarney of Smithsburg. The bridegroom is the son of Dave and Lori Benner of Hagerstown. The bride is a 1998 graduate of Smithsburg High School and is pursuing a degree in accounting. She is employed by Smith Elliott Kearns & Company. The bridegroom is a 1997 graduate of South Hagerstown High School.

Woodsboro Bank WOODSBORO Md. - Woodsboro Bank recently expanded its financial services with the formation of Woodsboro Bank Investments, a new division of the financial institution that provides comprehensive financial planning and investment brokerage services. Luke Becker, a certified financial planner with more than 20 years of investment experience, has been named to head the department. Becker has been an associate vice president at Morgan Stanley and assistant vice president at Banc of America Investment Services.

The Aug. 16 edition of the Manpower Corporate Golf Challenge to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Washington County was a memorable event as a new champion was crowned and one golfer recorded a hole-in-one at Musket Ridge Golf Club. "We are proud to offer our support of the Boys & Girls Club and all of its meaningful programs," said Bob Jeffers, owner of Manpower franchises in Hagerstown, Frederick, Martinsburg, W.Va., and Winchester, Va. "I want to thank all of the sponsors, players, volunteers and staff from Musket Ridge for making our fifth annual event a success.

On April 25, employees of the Staples Distribution Center, at 11540 Hopewell Road in Hagerstown, donated their expertise and time to bring spring to the homeless animals at the Humane Society of Washington County. Staples employee Sherry Pine led the group of gardeners as they weeded and planted the day away. The result of their efforts was a bright splash of color and a beautifully manicured entrance. "We are glad everyone is enjoying the flowers and happy that we were able to help," Pine said.

Kelly Lynn McCarney and Michael Wayne Benner were married Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Smitshburg. The bride is the daughter of Lennie and Susan McCarney of Smithsburg. The bridegroom is the son of Dave and Lori Benner of Hagerstown. The bride is a 1998 graduate of Smithsburg High School and is pursuing a degree in accounting. She is employed by Smith Elliott Kearns & Company. The bridegroom is a 1997 graduate of South Hagerstown High School.

Fresh food can be hard to come by in the winter. Not just because most fruits and vegetables don't taste as good and are expensive, but also because weather conditions can make a run to the grocery store unpleasant or downright dangerous. That means you can be stuck with an empty fridge on the exact night you'd most like a comforting meal. It's possible to see these nights as an opportunity for creative cooking, so rather than ordering a pizza or braving the weather, turn to your pantry.

Bonnie Shockey's little black dress is chocolate brown. "When I wear black, I look as white as Casper the ghost," said Shockey, 58, of Antrim Township, Pa. "So my little black dress is brown. " Shockey isn't the only one who would rather do without the so-called fashion staple. "It's really a jacket and pants set with a tuxedo stripe down the side," said Patti Anderson, 53, of Smithsburg, describing what she wears in lieu of the little black dress. "Does that count?" A little black dress is a sometimes formal, sometimes casual frock called "little" because it's not a formal, floor-length gown.

HAGERSTOWN-The Staples Distribution Center on Hopewell Road in Hagerstown will hire at least 100 employees between late May and mid-July, said Walt Lachenmayr, the distribution center's human resources manager. Lachenmayr said the jobs primarily will be for equipment operators and material handlers. Although Lachenmayr did not give a salary range, he said some of the jobs will pay more than $12 per hour depending on experience. All of the positions carry full benefits, including health and 401(k)

The Staples Distribution Center on Hopewell Road in Hagerstown will hire at least 100 employees between late May and mid-July, said Walt Lachenmayr, the distribution center's human resources manager. Lachenmayr said the jobs primarily will be for equipment operators and material handlers. Although Lachenmayr did not give a salary range, he said some of the jobs will pay more than $12 per hour depending on experience. All of the positions carry full benefits, including health and 401(k)

HAGERSTOWN - After the eggnog is gone and presents are unwrapped, it's tradition for some families to go bowling on Christmas night. At Longmeadow Bowl on Leitersburg Pike, 150 people were expected Monday night, said Ray Turner, the manager. "It's been tradition for 50-some odd years," Turner said. All four Turner Bowling Centers in Hagerstown and Martinsburg, W.Va., open Christmas evening at 5 p.m. The buy-one-game, bowl-the-next-free Christmas special attracts mostly families, he said.

WILLIAMSPORT - As the Shepherd's Table nears its eighth anniversary in January, coordinators Bill and Laura Eckard can't help but remember that it all started with a community service project by a teenage Girl Scout. That Scout was Sara Cline, who said she was the only girl left in her troop at the Wilson Ruritan but nonetheless she had to come up with a community activity to complete her Gold award. The idea for a free dinner for the Williamsport community came to mind, so Cline and her troop leader and mother, Laura Eckard, got to work on it. "I did the letter and then I ran a meeting of the church coordinators for the project," Cline said.

Woodsboro Bank WOODSBORO Md. - Woodsboro Bank recently expanded its financial services with the formation of Woodsboro Bank Investments, a new division of the financial institution that provides comprehensive financial planning and investment brokerage services. Luke Becker, a certified financial planner with more than 20 years of investment experience, has been named to head the department. Becker has been an associate vice president at Morgan Stanley and assistant vice president at Banc of America Investment Services.