Vacation

adamb@herald-mail.com MIDDLETOWN, Md. - Three little words were all it took to turn Breanne Toms' vacation to Los Angeles into an unforgettable experience. Shortly after Toms heard "Come on down," the 20-year-old nursing assistant ended up taking a boat, a sauna and a seven-day cruise to Alaska home to Middletown after winning the coveted showcase on the popular game show "The Price is Right. " Her winnings were valued at $39,774. "Half of me felt really nervous, and the other half was really excited," Toms said.

Health insurance forum set for today To the editor: The Franklin County Adult Learning Center is pleased to announce that Colleen Milligan, outreach specialist for HighmarkBlue Shield, will present information on various health insurance programs in Chambersburg today, Aug. 23, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. The information session will be held at Franklin Fire Hall, 70 N Franklin St., in the downstairs meeting room. Light refreshments will be available and an activity for children will be provided by the LIU12 Family Literacy program.

Investigator Greg Alton, with the Washington County Sheriff's Department, recommended that people going on vacation for any length of time, including snowbirds, make their local police department aware of their departure. An officer can drive by the home to check on it, he said. Alton recommended people let the police know the following before leaving: · Who to contact in the event of an emergency. · The makes and models of any cars that could legitimately be at the home.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - The Chambersburg Borough Council Monday approved what one member called a "Band-Aid solution" to help an injured police officer and appointed a committee to develop a policy for a sick leave bank to help all employees. The council voted unanimously to allow police officers to donate sick leave to the officer, who was injured in an off-duty accident. This "nonprecedent-setting" policy only applies to the particular case of the recovering officer. Borough solicitor Thomas Finucane said current department policy allows officers to donate vacation time and compensation time to help out fellow officers with injuries or illnesses.

Editor's note: This is part of an occasional series about three Washington County families participating in a food diary program created by The Herald-Mail and Washington County Health Department. The families are keeping track of their food consumption and exercise for about three weeks. Then they will have food and exercise plans developed for them and will continue to track their food consumption and exercise for a month. Struggling with her weight is not something new to Hagerstown resident Kellee Smith, who said other family members have had similar struggles and one family member had gastric bypass surgery.

keller@herald-mail.com "Honey, that vacation will have to wait. " That might have been what coach Darryl Powell said to his wife Sunday after Funkstown Post 211 beat Frederick for the Western Maryland District American Legion baseball title and a berth in the state tournament, which begins today at Frank Perdue Stadium in Salisbury. A state title would make Powell's trip to Myrtle Beach, S.C., well worth the wait. "We're supposed to leave (Salisbury) and go right down from there," Powell said.

Click here to view and/or purchase photos. CLEAR SPRING - Aric Lippoldt said before Clear Spring High School's commencement ceremony Thursday evening that he didn't want to graduate. It was the past four years, he said, that were the most enjoyable of his life. "I'll miss the high school," Lippoldt said. "A lot (that I'll miss) is from football ... Hanging out with my core group of friends. " Failing to avoid the inevitable, Lippoldt, 17, graduated with 109 of his classmates as family members and friends packed into the high school's auditorium to watch the ceremony - a tradition that began in 1916.

At The Herald-Mail Co., like a lot of businesses, summertime gets kind of crazy. With so many vacations to cover, you often find yourself doing someone else's job. The paper doesn't shut down when employees go on vacation. So that's why you often hear someone in the newsroom saying, "I'm Larry this week;" or "I'm Liz today;" or "I'll be Tim on Saturday. " At a small paper like The Herald-Mail, you have to wear a lot of different hats. You take on the duties of the person on vacation and all calls and assignments for that person fall to you. That can be a daunting task.

Guys have mixed feelings about getting the call from their wives that starts out, "We're fine, but ... " Three words into it, you know what's coming. People, fine; car, pretzel. The Marco Polo in High Heels had just ventured off on her way with her friend Jeannie for a vacation in some lakeside Canadian lodge. Four hours after their departure time, the phone rang, with her name on the ID. This was not good. Wives on vacation do not think about their husbands. Husbands of wives on vacation do not want to be thought of by their wives.

"Planned Parenthood claims they are a nonprofit group, but has been receiving billions per year from our taxes. People regardless of income can obtain abortions at any stage. ... No job stimulation here, just favors at our expense. " - Hagerstown "To the person who had a negative comment about President Obama taking a vacation: Presidents really are never on vacation. Wherever they go they take the White House, aides, and the press with them. The press likes to talk about a president on vacation, but he's on the job, just not in Washington.