White House

WASHINGTON - The Hagerstown YMCA Black Achievers recently visited the White House. The tour included seeing the Red, Blue and Green rooms, and the East, China and State dining rooms that are used for receptions, ceremonies, press conferences and other events. The group admired portraits of all the presidents and their families who have graced the White House. The group was in awe of the beautiful, antique furniture that dates to the 1800s. The White House has been altered, adapted, or enlarged to suit the needs of the residents.

 The Frederick Arts Council is sponsoring a bus trip to the White House on Thursday, Dec. 15, although the date and time is subject to change due to White House security restrictions. The bus will depart from a Frederick location and will return in the early evening. The cost is $70 per person; $60 for arts council members. Registration is limited on a first-come, first-serve basis and security information is required for admittance. Certain individual information is required for admittance into the White House.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama was unaware a top aide encouraged a Colorado Democrat to apply for an international development job instead of challenging the candidate whom the president favored in a Senate race, the White House said Thursday. Press Secretary Robert Gibbs faced fresh questions about another backroom political deal -- the first involving a Pennsylvania candidate, now a Colorado hopeful -- that put the Obama administration on the defensive. The White House acknowledged that it had contacted former Colorado House Speaker Andrew Romanoff about possible jobs in hopes of persuading him to skip the Senate primary.

Steven Weiss is about to blow the culinary minds of White House military chefs. "This is made out of carrots," he said, cupping in his hand what actually looked like small beads of caviar. He'll be doing such magic tricks in the kitchen when he trains military chefs at the White House. The one-day workshop will have Weiss teaching the chefs molecular gastronomy. "What molecular gastronomy is is the science of cooking, but it's this really great, new, exciting cuisine style that is done with hydrocolloids.

Airmen with the 167th Airlift Wing in Martinsburg, W.Va., recently had the opportunity to tour the White House in Washington. Front row, from left, Staff Sgt. Shannon Mullenax, Master Sgt. Denise Smearman, Tech Sgt. Tracie Etherington, Tech Sgt. Tracy Myers, Tech Sgt. Jacki Hinkel, Staff Sgt. Tammy Marks, Tech Sgt. Jennifer Swartz and Maj. Melissa Shade. Back row, from left, Master Sgt. Dan Jenkins, Staff Sgt. Derek Miller, Master Sgt. Michael Lindamood, Staff Sgt. Eric Eells, Airman Arthur Greenlee and Master Sgt. Dan Krowpman.

The three newest members of Boy Scout Troop 412 - Sean Maguire, Brendan Heisler and Joshua Macias - recently participated in the Easter egg roll at the White House in Washington, D.C., on April 1. They represented their troop and the Mason-Dixon Council at the traditional event that dates to 1861. On that date, President Abraham Lincoln's son, Tad, hosted the first documented informal egg-rolling party. The tradition today, known as the Easter egg roll, was established by President Rutherford B. Hayes and his wife, Lucy.

The messages left for the City National Bank regional president piled up Thursday when she was being honored at the White House for her leadership with the community gift-buying program for children in need. Recognized as a "Champion of Change" as part of President Obama's Winning the Future initiative, Linton said she had the option to stay in Washington on Friday for a tour of the White House. "But I had to be back here because you can see the chaos ... It's like Santa's workshop.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - Pennsylvania could be as pivotal to the upcoming presidential contest as Florida was in 2000 and U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter said it looks as if President Bush and Democratic candidate John Kerry are running neck and neck. "It's going to be a horse race," he said. Winning the state's 21 electoral votes "depends on the quality of the campaign," Specter said after meeting Tuesday with supporters of Letterkenny Army Depot. Specter said he will meet with Bush on Saturday during an appearance by the president in Pittsburgh.

Let's just say it flat-out: "Our White House" (Candlewick Press, $29.99) is a stunning gathering of children's-book stars, all with a single goal of illuminating a national treasure for young readers. In this new book, more than 100 of the best and brightest of children's-book creators offer their words and artwork as a way of demonstrating to children that American history indeed can be both interesting and entertaining. Consider the "presidential pet show" created by author/illustrator Steven Kellogg, in which readers are treated to a cartoonish parade of White House animals, from George Washington's hounds (who had names like Sweet Lips, Tipsy, Tipler and Drunkard)

Election is over; it is time to move on To the editor: This is a short reply to several of Lloyd Waters' comments from his column, “No political apathy in Ohio, Baltimore or D.C.” No. 1: Voter fraud in Ohio. Willard “Mitt” Romney lost Ohio by 166,000 votes. Not even close. 5,500,000 votes cast, at a recognized 0.0002 percent national voter fraud occurence. 1,100 votes by fraud (if true) falls far short of his loss total. No. 2: Obamaphones. Initially a Reagan program (landlines)

The three newest members of Boy Scout Troop 412 - Sean Maguire, Brendan Heisler and Joshua Macias - recently participated in the Easter egg roll at the White House in Washington, D.C., on April 1. They represented their troop and the Mason-Dixon Council at the traditional event that dates to 1861. On that date, President Abraham Lincoln's son, Tad, hosted the first documented informal egg-rolling party. The tradition today, known as the Easter egg roll, was established by President Rutherford B. Hayes and his wife, Lucy.

Assigning responsibility for the sequestration “crisis” is a tricky business. The president has been doing a great job blaming the Republicans. But there's a question about Obama's role in the whole affair. Watergate star reporter Bob Woodward created a mini firestorm last week with his article in the Washington Post suggesting that the idea for sequestration originated in the White House.  In his piece, Woodward stated, “My extensive reporting for my book 'The Price of Politics' shows that the automatic spending cuts were initiated by the White House and were the brainchild of (White House Chief of Staff Jack)

Steven Weiss is about to blow the culinary minds of White House military chefs. "This is made out of carrots," he said, cupping in his hand what actually looked like small beads of caviar. He'll be doing such magic tricks in the kitchen when he trains military chefs at the White House. The one-day workshop will have Weiss teaching the chefs molecular gastronomy. "What molecular gastronomy is is the science of cooking, but it's this really great, new, exciting cuisine style that is done with hydrocolloids.

America has just been given a wonderful gift - the opportunity to move forward with a progressive agenda that meets the needs and ideals of this nation. President Obama may now continue a vision that was stalled by inherited problems and a stubborn House. His re-election is a mandate to move forward with a well-grounded optimism. The threat of being pulled backward by a failed ideology and an out-of-date conception of the role of government is now contained. We can now look forward in both domestic and foreign affairs.

For almost 30 years, Cathy Miller walked the halls of one of the most famous residences in the world - the White House. She met presidents and first ladies and knew many staffers by their first names. She made her way through most of the 100-plus rooms and left a lasting impression everywhere she went. You could say she brought her own sense of power to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Flower power, that is. During the course of five administrations, beginning with Jimmy Carter and ending with George W. Bush, Miller served as a dried floral designer.

Well, it looks like we have ourselves a race - the 2012 presidential campaign flag is up, and with about six months until the finish line this race looks like a doozy.  Now there's a word we don't hear too often - “doozy.” Do you know what it means? Yahoo Answers explains it this way: “Etymologists are fairly sure that it (doozy) comes from the flower named daisy.  ... (daisy) was once English slang, from the 18th century on, for something that was particularly appealing or excellent.

A lack of skilled workers, uncertainties in new laws affecting business and ensuring that the federal government takes a lead in addressing infrastructure needs were among the issues that a group of local business people discussed with White House officials this week. Sixteen local business leaders met Wednesday with the White House Business Council in a daylong forum in Washington, D.C. The forum followed a series of nationwide meetings in which the administration asked business leaders how their companies were doing and how government could help, according to a news release from the Hagerstown-Washington County Chamber of Commerce.

Hagerstown resident Charles Miller was quick to respond when asked what qualities he is looking for in a presidential candidate. “They shouldn't be like anybody who is running,” he said. Miller, 66, was among area residents who spoke Wednesday about the qualities they want in a presidential candidate. He said that he does not trust any politician in the two major parties and believed a third party should be created. “I think members of the two parties are only in it for themselves,” he said.

The messages left for the City National Bank regional president piled up Thursday when she was being honored at the White House for her leadership with the community gift-buying program for children in need. Recognized as a "Champion of Change" as part of President Obama's Winning the Future initiative, Linton said she had the option to stay in Washington on Friday for a tour of the White House. "But I had to be back here because you can see the chaos ... It's like Santa's workshop.