Staples

By STEVEN T. DENNIS Staff Writer The Washington County Commissioners delayed a vote on raising permit fees Tuesday after some commissioners raised questions about the size and fairness of the proposed 50 percent hike. The commissioners approved updated building, plumbing, mechanical and electrical codes but balked when it came to proposed rate hikes. Paul Prodonovich, director of permits and inspections, had proposed increases in building, plumbing and electrical fees and proposed imposing fees for the first time on mechanical inspections.

Letters to the editor Mayor Sager: No half-truths To the editor: In a recent letter to the editor Kelly Sullivan stated that my earlier letter was "full of half-truths. " I stand by my earlier letter. For instance, in her first letter she stated words to the effect that the majority of the stores in the Public Square are vacant. I wrote back with the actual count: one vacancy and 14 occupied storefronts. The reality is that the majority (vast majority)

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.

andrews@herald-mail.com Every year, when volunteer fire and rescue companies ask the public for money, residents are more likely to respond than businesses. A rough approximation is that 25 to 40 percent of homes contribute and less than 10 percent of businesses, said Jason Baer, president of the Washington County Volunteer Fire & Rescue Association. Baer said the Maugansville Goodwill Fire Co., of which he is a member, gets a slightly better response from businesses - 15 to 20 percent.

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.

By JULIE E. GREENE Staff Writer HALFWAY - Winfred Winston, one of more than 2,000 people in the last four days to apply for a job at the new Staples distribution center, said he is interested in the company's good benefits and decent pay scale. "That's important to anybody that has a family," said Winston, whose family includes a wife, two children and two grandchildren. "They give everybody a chance to make a good honest living and live comfortable," said Winston, 38, of Hagerstown, who is now a painter's helper.

The following foods are widely considered staples in vegan diets: Egg substitutes: A number of egg replacements on the market can be used in any recipe that calls for eggs as a binding agent. Bananas, silken tofu and apple sauce also serve as egg substitutes in baking. Meat alternatives: Meat substitutes are increasingly available on supermarket shelves, especially the frozen section. Milk alternatives: The supermarket's dairy section often contains milk substitutes made from such nondairy sources as potatoes, rice and soy. Miso: This food paste is made from fermented soybeans, rice, barley and other grains.

By JULIE E. GREENE Staff Writer The new Staples Distribution Center has hired more than 275 hourly employees and is adding dozens more every week, a company official said Wednesday. Workers at the $43 million, 840,000-square-foot distribution center began receiving inventory on Feb. 3 and started shipping it out to stores on March 3, said Staples Human Resources Manager Sandy Brisentine. Brisentine said the distribution center should have about 700 employees by the end of 1998.

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)

A forklift operator at Staples Distribution Center has filed a discrimination complaint against the firm, alleging company officials have failed to discipline employees who have persistently harassed him. Mohamad M. Karim, a native of Bangladesh who lives in Hagerstown, filed the complaint with the Maryland Commission on Human Relations. The June complaint, a copy of which Karim provided to The Herald-Mail, alleges a series of incidents stretching from last August to May of this year.