Town Square

MARTINSBURG, W.VA. -- The City of Martinsburg's project to improve pedestrian areas around the town square was awarded $329,000 in federal stimulus money, state and federal officials announced Thursday. The project was among 26 in West Virginia that will receive a total of about $6.3 million for the design and development of nontraditional projects such as improving safety for pedestrians and bicyclists through the construction of sidewalks and trails, Gov. Joe Manchin, the West Virginia Division of Highways and the Federal Highway Administration announced.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. -- Efforts to extend Raleigh Street in downtown Martinsburg north to U.S. 11 at Edwin Miller Boulevard date to the earliest of George Karos' 35 years in city government. And the project continues today. "I told (City Manager Mark Baldwin) when I first became mayor (in 2000) ... if we don't do nothing else in the four years I'm elected, I need to get this off the burner," Karos said in an interview. Now in his 10th year as mayor, Karos, 77, hopes construction finally will start on the 1.2-mile project, which is projected to cost $37.7 million.

A Sharpsburg tradition for 140 years, the annual Memorial Day Parade draws people from near and far to line porches and lawns along Main Street. Held the Saturday before Memorial Day, the parade is preceded by a wreath-laying ceremony at Town Square. There is a ceremony at Antietam National Cemetery, and the Rohrersville Band plays in Town Square.

SHARPSBURG - During Memorial Day activities on Saturday, Sharpsburg officially dedicated a $15,000 clock donated to the town by resident Roy Ebersole in memory of his wife, Edna "Pansy" Ebersole. Ebersole was honoring Pansy's last wish before her death Oct. 6 at age 79. The 15-foot, 6-inch forest green clock with gold trim already was in place at the southeast corner of Main and Mechanic streets in Town Square when Roy Ebersole, family members and political dignitaries gathered for the dedication.

By JULIE E. GREENE Staff Writer SHARPSBURG - Pansy and Roy Ebersole have been giving gifts to their community for years. They gave corn to neighbors, candy to bank tellers and pharmacy clerks, clothes to residents of nearby nursing homes and medical equipment to the Lions Club. The family's tradition of giving will continue into the new year despite the death on Oct. 6 of Pansy Ebersole, 79, at the Fahrney-Keedy Home and Village in Boonsboro. In his wife's memory, Roy Ebersole has given the town $15,000 to buy a clock for Town Square, said Mayor George Kesler.

Sharpsburg Heritage Festival Events are in Sharpsburg. There will be free shuttle buses between Sharpsburg and the battlefield Saturday and Sunday every half hour from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. One mile of Main Street and parts of North and South Mechanic streets will be closed to traffic with new traffic patterns posted. Friday, Sept. 12 All day - re-enactors and sutlers establish camps around town; visitors are welcome to tour the camps 4 p.m. - walking tour of Sharpsburg, starts at information booth in Town Square 5 to 8 p.m. - artisans and craft vendors set up around town 7:30 p.m. - Appalachian Songs by Jim Brown and the choir, St. Paul's Episcopal Church 9 p.m. - barn dance on Antietam National Battlefield.

By JULIE E. GREENE Staff Writer SHARPSBURG - Restaurant owner Paul Carson said Tuesday he will not remove a temporary directional sign at Town Square, despite objections by town officials. "I will fight it because I'm not taking the sign down," said Carson, owner of the New Central Restaurant at 104 S. Mechanic St. Town Attorney Charles Wagaman said Monday night that Carson had until midnight Monday to remove the temporary sign because he did not apply for a building permit, which Wagaman said he advised Carson was necessary.