Washington County Courthouse

Stenger-Cavanaugh Kerry Lynn Cavanaugh and Eric Karl Stenger were married Saturday, June 14, 1997, at First Christian Church in Hagerstown. The bride is the daughter of Sondra Cavanaugh of Shepherdstown, W.Va., and Janet and Homer Cavanaugh III of Boonsboro. The bridegroom is the son of Fredona Stenger of Morgantown, W.Va., and the late Edward Stenger. The bride is a 1989 graduate of Boonsboro High School and received her bachelor of arts degree in elementary education from Shepherd College in Shepherdstown, W.Va.

Basore-McGowan Kirsten Michelle McGowan and Jason Howard Basore were married Saturday, June 21, 2003, at Historic London Town & Gardens in Edgewater, Md. The bride is the daughter of Mac and Sue McGowan of Lees Summit, Mo. The bridegroom is the son of David and Barbara Hugus of Greencastle, Pa., and Gary and Pat Basore of Port St. Lucie, Fla. The bride is a 1995 graduate of Northern High School in Calvert County, Md., and University...

HAGERSTOWN - Despite the occasional belligerent defendant and threatening letters directed at him, Washington County Circuit Judge John H. McDowell said he feels safe and secure at work. But the Washington County Courthouse, as it stands, is not safe enough for Sheriff Doug Mullendore. Mullendore and county officials are working toward installing additional security devices, but dealing with a historic structure and satisfying the city fire marshal has proved difficult, said Gary Rohrer, Washington County's director of special projects.

Renovation work that will make space for a fifth Washington County Circuit judge and provide more holding cells for prisoners is expected to start in the fall, according to county Public Works Director Gary Rohrer. An architect will be hired within the next 90 days, and the design stage of the $3.35 million project should take six months, he said. In February, workers finished clearing out the rooms in the annex building where the treasurer and assessment offices were housed, Rohrer said.

HAGERSTOWN -- The renovation of the Washington County Courthouse Annex building is nearing completion, with less than 1 percent of the work left to be done, Washington County officials said last week. Separate construction projects to replace the roof and enhance security also are ending, with all work scheduled to be finished by early January 2009. When the work is done, it will mark the end of an eventful four years of construction at the courthouse marked by setbacks and changes that have delayed work and driven up the cost of the project.

The County Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a $72,428.25 change order in the Washington County Courthouse security upgrades project. The money will pay to remove security panels in the holding cell area, install conduits for security cameras and replace the ceiling panels. The project includes the construction of a sally port for prisoner drop-off and security cameras throughout the courthouse, as well as other security enhancements. A recent cost estimate for the project by Bushey Feight Morin Architects Inc. totaled more than $900,000.

Workers on Thursday were relocating a utility line next to the Washington County Circuit Court Annex in Hagerstown, said Joseph Kroboth, Washington County director of public works. Kroboth said the lines have to be moved to provide power for an elevator inside the building. The job is expected to be finished in the spring.

They were in this country to learn about antitrust law, but a group of 19 Chinese jurists and their interpreter stopped in the Washington County Courthouse in Hagerstown Tuesday afternoon to watch a criminal proceeding. "Today a prisoner who was previously sentenced is attacking the conviction," Deputy State's Attorney Joseph Michael explained to the group about the post-conviction hearing. The defendant, he told them, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge in 2004 in exchange for an 18-month sentence and an agreement to testify against her mother.

HAGERSTOWN - After dating for the last two years, Funkstown residents Chris Schultz and Kim Lushbaugh said they decided to tie the knot during a Valentine's Day ceremony at the Washington County Circuit Courthouse in Hagerstown. Schultz and Lushbaugh were among 12 couples who paid $85 each to exchange vows at the courthouse and alter their lives for, as the adage says, better or worse. "It's a lot better than spending thousands of dollars on a wedding," Lushbaugh said. "He's stuck with me. We might as well make it legal.