Local Historic Documentary Uncovers Frightening Finds

HAGERSTOWN, MD - What was supposed to be a historic documentary of the "Hager Hotel" on South Potomac Street, which is now the home of "ACT Black Box Studio", took an unexpected twist when researchers found items which may be remnants of the building's tragic past.

The documentary, which was originally titled "History of the Hager Hotel", has since been renamed to "Haunting of the Hager Hotel" due to the unusual finds which were discovered during filming. Among the finds were several pieces of silverware from the hotel fire in 1926, as well as several blood-covered items including a serving tray, glass mug, and a bird skeleton.

The show's producer, Ken Buckler, stated that he was commissioned by Authentic Community Theatre to create the documentary to help celebrate the building's arts and entertainment heritage. Buckler is the producer of a web series called "History Hub Hunters" which explores local history through metal detecting.

The hotel previously was host to many entertainers who performed at the nearby Maryland Theatre. One of the musicians staying at the hotel was injured in the 1926 fire while evacuating the building, which at the time was called the "Castello Hotel". Other tragedies at the hotel include the mysterious 1940 death of a 17-year-old, and a brutal attack in 1941 when a resident of the hotel was beaten and thrown down a flight of steps.

"The first part of the documentary, upstairs, was going absolutely fantastic," said Buckler, "but when we got in the basement, things really took a turn for the weird."

Due to the age of the items, as well as the fact that there are no unsolved cases involving the building, law enforcement was not involved. Local government representatives were unavailable for comment.

The complete documentary will be available for viewing at the website, HauntedHubCity.com.

Antietam Broadband Prices to Increase January 1

HAGERSTOWN, MD - According to a classified ad posted in Herald-Mail, Antietam Broadband will be raising their Cable TV rates on January 1, 2020.

The cost increase is attributed to increases in regional and national programming costs.

	Current Monthly Fee	New Monthly Fee
Broadcast TV	$4.88	$9.03
Basic Plus	$46.45	$52.95
Variety Plus	$15.99	$16.99
Total	$67.32	$78.97

Additionally, the monthly fee for Digital Television Adapters will increase by $1.00 per month.

There was no mention of any planned rate increases for broadband internet access.

State Aware of Central Chemical Ground Water Contamination in 1962

HAGERSTOWN, MD - Historical documents have surfaced which reveal that the State of Maryland was aware of ground water pollution at the Central Chemical superfund site in 1962.

According to the official history of the site from the EPA's "Record of Decision", the State of Maryland received complaints from nearby residents regarding the air quality surrounding Central Chemical. Air quality samples were taken, and the concentration was deemed not to pose a hazard at that time by the state health department. No mention whatsoever is made of the State of Maryland's knowledge of ground water pollution under the Central Chemical facility.

However, new documents reveal that the State of Maryland was aware of ground water pollution at Central Chemical due to a water quality study performed in 1958. The well in question, named Wa-Bi 19, was located on the Central Chemical property off Mitchell Ave. in Hagerstown.

In the 1962 bulletin, "Bulletin 24 - The Water Resources of Allegheny and Washington Counties", the following is stated:

The analysis of water from well Wa-Bi 19 (318 feet deep and cased to 38 feet) indicates chemical contamination of the ground water at that site.

This raises the question - why did the State of Maryland fail to act when finding evidence of chemical contamination? Any action taken by the State of Maryland would undoubtedly have been included in the EPA's Record of Decision - but this information is noticeably absent. Further water quality testing was not performed until 1976, when DDT was found in the Antietam Creek. This means that for eighteen years, the ground water contamination would be ignored by the State of Maryland. Even once identified, the State of Maryland only instructed Central Chemical to cover the lagoon and potential sinkhole to prevent surface runoff - no actions were taken to address ground water contamination.

Hagerstown and Washington County residents need to start asking for answers. The contamination at Central Chemical was unchecked, unmitigated for far too long. It's time for the State of Maryland to start answering questions. The problem was identified early on, why was no action taken?

Additionally - did the State of Maryland even notify the City of Hagerstown or the Washington County Health Department of the contaminated ground water?

Additional stories will be posted as information becomes available.

Ken Buckler is the editor of WashCo Chronicle

Excerpt from EPA Record of Decision 2009

Excerpt from EPA Record of Decision 2009

Excerpt from Bulletin 24 - The Water Resources of Allegheny and Washington Counties

Uber Ride Sharing Comes to Hagerstown

HAGERSTOWN, MD - Residents looking to utilize taxis or other public transportation now have an additional option - Uber.

Local driver Christopher Campbell has been driving for Uber in Hagerstown for about two weeks now, under their Uber X service.

Uber X allows consumers to submit a trip request through their mobile app and pay for their ride using a major credit card.  The trip request is then passed on to local drivers.

According to Campbell "The fares are very responsible and it all depends when the driver wants to work."

Hagerstown residents interested in signing up to use the service can sign up at the Uber website, then download the mobile app for their smartphone.

Article by Ken Buckler, editor.

Mother of Imprisoned Guardsman to Speak at WCRC Meeting

HAGERSTOWN, MD - Renee Myers, the mother of Sgt. Derrick Miller, will speak at the Washington County Republican Club meeting on Wednesday, June 24, at 7 PM.

Myers will be coming to speak about the situation with her son, who is currently serving a life sentence at Leavenworth for acting as a soldier in time of war.  She is connected with United American Patriots in helping to advocate for her son through their Warrior Fund, and will speak about this organization, which helps military members and their families with legal defense for convictions of a "crime during combat".  Two hundred thirteen service members have been convicted of such crimes during the Iraq & Afghanistan wars.  For comparison, only 7 service men total had been convicted of "crimes" in WWII, Korean, & Vietnam Wars.

More information about United American Patriots can be found at http://www.unitedpatriots.org/

Information courtesy of the Washington County Republican Club

Lenox Corporation Moving Pennsylvania Operations To Washington County Maryland

Hagerstown, MD - The Washington County Department of Business Development is pleased to support Lenox Corporation in an expansion project to retain 105 jobs and create 14 new full-time positions in Washington County.

As Lenox consolidates operations from a Langhorne, Pennsylvania site, the company is set to invest $3 million at the Washington County project site for new equipment and infrastructure.

"Working with existing businesses is critical to expanding economic development opportunities and creating jobs for Washington County citizens," said Kassie Lewis, director, Washington County Department of Business Development. "We're proud Lenox has called the County home for more than 40 years and we look forward to the continued investment and commitment this organization has demonstrated in our community."

During the expansion, Washington County will provide a conditional loan for $63,000. The terms of the loan require Lenox to employ a minimum of 119 permanent full-time employees at the project site through December 31, 2020.

Other assistance available for the project includes the County's Fast Track Program - an expedited review and approval process for any facility construction needs and the High Performance (Green) Buildings Tax Credit Program. For three years, businesses are eligible for a tax credit based on LEED certification granted by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Lenox produces its sophisticated fine china patterns at the only fine bone china factory in the U.S., leverages its own marketing and design, sourcing and fulfillment, and wholesales to Macy's, Bed Bath and Beyond, Kohl's and other major department stores, as well as Amazon.  Lenox sells direct through e-commerce, catalog, direct mail and a chain of retail stores primarily located on the east coast, including the retail store on-site at the Hagerstown facility.

Press release courtesy Washington County Government

Looking for Paid Contributors to WashCo Chronicle

BOONSBORO, MD - For a while now, I've been wanting to find a way of paying independent contributors to WashCo Chronicle. As I've said before, I'm not interested in making money off WashCo Chronicle - but I'd love for my independent contributors to!

Today, Jason, who runs the DarkTechObserver Blog and YouTube, gave me a link to a website which may allow me to do just that.

Patreon is a crowdfunding website which allows you to make regular contributions to artists, writers, musicians, etc.

There are two funding models which I could implement.

The first funding model, I setup a single Patreon account for WashCo Chronicle. Then I use any contributions to pay contributors on a per-article basis.  The upside to this is, once a dedicated stream of funding is established, I could pay contributors immediately for articles I review and accept. The downside is, I wouldn't be able to accept paid articles until there's a funding stream.  This also causes some legal headaches for me, as I'd have to make each contributor a paid contractor, fill out tax forms, etc.

The second funding model, and the one I'm really leaning towards, is having each independent contributor create a Patreon account, and include a link in their articles. This could result in higher returns for independent contributors, if the community favors their articles.  This would leave the "quality" judgement in the hands of the community, instead of my own personal opinion. This would also result in contributors receiving payment monthly, instead of a per-article basis.  Independent contributors could use the same Patreon link on their own personal blogs/etc. as well.  And best of all, it removes a lot of legal headaches for me.

I really want to help empower the community, and help provide additional income to those who need it.  I believe this might be an excellent chance.

What are your thoughts? I want to hear them.  Would you be interested in becoming a paid contributor to the WashCo Chronicle?  For readers - which funding model would you prefer?

Please email me, WashCoChronicle@gmail.com

Ken Buckler is the editor of the WashCo Chronicle

Leitersburg BBQ Festival a New Local Tradition

LEITERSBURG, MD - Today was the First Ever Leitersburg BBQ Festival, and it was a huge success. So much of a success, some vendors completely sold out of food after only a couple hours of opening!

The music was great.  The food was delicious. And best of all, the event provided a family-friendly atmosphere of games, as well as community.

This was more than just a chance to try delicious BBQ and listen to great music. This was a chance to learn about little-known small businesses in our area, as well as promote agriculture in Washington County.

The Washington County Department of Business Development was on site to promote farming in Washington County, and help encourage purchasing food from local farm markets. Educational children's activities were also provided to help them learn about farming. Everyone who stopped by received a bag of goodies, including all natural soybean oil based grill cleaner. I couldn't think of a better freebie for a BBQ festival than that.

The Washington County Fire and Rescue Association was also present to encourage volunteers to sign up. There's no better way to help serve your community than volunteer - even if you don't want to become a firefighter or EMT, there are plenty other volunteer positions available, including administrative, fund raising, and maintenance positions.

CASA of Washington County Maryland was on site to help promote awareness of their services. If you or someone you know is an abusive environment, contact CASA today for help.

And finally, The Downtown Movement was also present, to promote their next pop-up shop event, which will take place during Blues Fest. 

Of course, in addition to delicious food, there were several arts and crafts vendors available. A full list of all the vendors is available at the Leitersburg BBQ Festival web site. A lot of the food vendors I had never heard of before, and I will be visiting their business locations in the future, especially the CharColes Hot Sauce Store!

My wishlist for the next iteration of this event is very short. I loved this event, and
1) There was plenty of BBQ pork and beef, but not very much BBQ chicken. Perhaps get Smithsburg Market to bring in some of their famous fried chicken for next year?
2) Many vendors could only accept cash. I would strongly encourage vendors in future events to consider a mobile payment processing system such as Square. Unfortunately, many people don't carry cash anymore.
3) Consider reducing the admission fee, or make it a "donation requested" entrance fee. For a family of four on a budget, $28 ($7/person) is a bit high, considering food was not included in the price of admission.

It is my hope that this BBQ Festival becomes an annual tradition of Washington County - and based upon the overwhelming turnout, I suspect we'll be seeing it again next year.

Ken Buckler is the editor of the WashCo Chronicle

Super Hero 5k Seeks to Raise Funds for Discovery Station

Get ready Hagerstown for the most extraordinary day of your life! Superheroes of all shapes, sizes and strengths will be descending upon our wonderful city! You’ll have more capes and masks than your power levels can handle! This is a battle to support Discovery Station and the race to the finish line will be of epic proportions!

Participants are invited to come dressed up as their favorite superheroes and race to "Save the Day" for Discovery Station. There will be three fun-filled "activities" along the race course and also a 1 mi fun walk for children and adults that runs along the museum.

There will be prizes awarded to participants for the following: 

"Best Costume" = 2 tickets to Leitersburg Cinemas for the Avengers 2 movie, 2 gift certificates to RoadID
"Best Selfie" = a free 3d print of the winner courtesy of the 3d Print Factory in the Valley Mall, 2 Gift Certificates to RoadID
"Best Group Theme" = three trip certificates to River Trail Outfitters, & a family pass to Antietam Recreation, 2 Gift Certificates to Road ID.

The "Most Heroic Award" will go to the person who raises the most money on behalf of Discovery Station. The winner will receive a 39" Flat Screen LED HDTV valued at $450, 2 Infield Box Tickets to any 2015 Home Game for the Washington Nationals, a year-long membership to AAA with a $200 goodie bag, valued at $300 in total, 2 Gift Certificates to Road ID.

Participants can set-up their fundraiser online through the registration page:http://bit.ly/1yI3WYF

Cash Prizes go to the top three men and women overall: (1st Place = $100, 2nd Place = $75, 3rd= $50)

Medals will be awarded to top three men and women in each age group!

Registration is currently $25 for runners in the 5k and $15 for walkers in the 1mi fun walk!

There is a discounted rate for groups of 5 or more participants! (10%)

You can register at: http://bit.ly/1FFRsRX

Race Course can be found on the race website:www.discoverystationsuperhero5k.com

All proceeds from the race will go towards the costs associated with operations, exhibit expansion and program development

CANDLELIGHT VIGIL IN HONOR & REMEMBRANCE OF BROOK SIMMERS

The W House is truly saddened to hear about the loss of Brooke Simmers. Our sincerest condolences to her family and friends go beyond words.

We will be holding a Candlelight Vigil to honor Brooke at The W House, 519 N. Locust Street, on Friday evening starting at 7PM. We will also be conducting pre-screens at this time for any females seeking immediate treatment.

Resources for men and those seeking treatment elsewhere will also be available.

The disease of addiction has claimed another life, something that this cunning, baffling and powerful disease aims to do.  She will never be forgotten and will be celebrated at the candlelight vigil.  Any contributions to our facility will be in her honor and to help other women who are struggling with addiction.

More information about The W House can be found on their website: http://www.thewhouse.org/

Home Invasion Suspect Dies, Media Does Hatchet Job on Hagerstown Police

HAGERSTOWN, MD - The following is the official press release from Hagerstown Police Department regarding a home invasion suspect who died while being transported to Meritus Medical Center.

On April 16 at 10:32 PM a call for a disturbance came in to the 911 center from the 400 block of North Prospect where a female could be heard screaming in the background. A second caller reported a male broke into her house. The caller described the suspect as a black male wearing jeans and a shirt and was currently in front of the house stumbling around.The first two responding officers found the male suspect in front of the house in an aggressive stance and appeared to be highly agitated. Two additional officers and a supervisor arrived on the scene shortly afterward. The officers believed the suspect was under the influence of drugs and requested an ambulance to respond to the scene as well.
While waiting on the ambulance, the suspect refused to comply with the officers and remained aggressive. During the arrest, the suspect was tased by the police and placed in handcuffs. The suspect was conscious and remained uncooperative when he was placed in the ambulance for transport to Meritus Medical Center. As some point, the suspect suffered an unknown medical emergency and was later pronounced dead by Meritus medical staff at 12:11 AM on the 17th of April.
The identification of the male has not yet been confirmed.
The department has requested the Washington County Sheriff’s Department conduct the death investigation.

The department will be available for comment at 10:00 a.m. at police headquarters, located at 50 N. Burhans Blvd, Hagerstown, MD 21740 and by calling 301-790-3700.

This press release tells a much different story than the sensationalist headlines used by multiple media outlets to describe the incident.

Screenshot of Google News

Not only do media outlets fail to mention in their headlines that this person is suspected of breaking into someone's house, but they also try to make it sound like the stun gun was the cause of death.

However... "The suspect was conscious and remained uncooperative when he was placed in the ambulance for transport to Meritus Medical Center."  You read that right - after they tased him, he was still alive.

Could it be that he had some other medical emergency, possibly due to the fact that he may have been "under the influence of drugs"? That is after all the reason they called the ambulance in the first place.

Herald Mail, Baltimore Sun, and every other media outlet using this misleading headline and not telling the whole story - shame on you. As members of the press, it's your job to provide news in an unbiased manner. A hatchet job like this against our law enforcement officers, who put their lives on the line every day, is completely unacceptable.

Here's a better headline for those news sites which wish to report fairly.

"Home Invasion Suspect Dies on Way to Hospital"

Ken Buckler is the editor of the WashCo Chronicle

Dear Subway - Help Support Local Radio and the Local Economy!

UPDATE: After discussing with the owner of the Middletown Subway, this isn't being "mandated" for Subways, but is being highly encouraged by Subway as a way to make customers aware of new specials/etc. The actual cost is $180 per year, not per month.

It is still the belief of the editor that Subway should support local radio and the local economy, instead of using "Subway Radio".

Dear Subway,

I stopped in my usual Subway this morning on the way to work. The Subway is very convenient for me, because I can stop in at Middletown on Alt-40, and listen to local radio traffic reports while waiting for my food. By the time I'm ready to leave, I'll know which way to continue going to get to work on time. It's really become part of my morning routine, and it's working out pretty well.

Today I was very disheartened when I was informed by Birdie, the wonderful lady who always makes my subs for me, that they're going to have to stop playing local radio in the Subway.

Apparently, Subway came up with some brilliant idea to switch all the music systems to some sort of music box that plays "easy listening" elevator music, as well as Subway commercials (you know, because obviously you need advertising to tell you to go to Subway, while you're at Subway). Even worse, they're going to charge the franchises well over a hundred dollars a month for this "service". This is an unnecessary cost for franchise owners to worry about! Even if it only cost $100 - that means an owner must sell 20 additional $5 footlongs to make up the difference.

Sure, I get it. You want to make sure that while customers are in a Subway, they only hear Subway advertisements, and not advertisements for competitors. However, this reasoning is fundamentally flawed. If a customer is already inside a Subway, it's because they've chosen to eat there! The key to getting a customer to come back is good service, reasonable prices, and excellent quality food.

I'm not stopping in Subway to listen to elevator music. I'm stopping in to get my breakfast, knowing that if there's a traffic accident, I'll still be able to hear it on the radio.

More importantly, by just allowing local radio stations to be played in your stores, you're helping the local economy! You see, local radio stations actually help the local economy of the area they serve - in fact they generate approximately $1.24 Trillion per year in local economic stimulus. See http://www.nab.org/documents/newsroom/pressRelease.asp?id=3320

I hope that you will reconsider this, and keep local radio in Subway.

Thank You,
Ken Buckler
Editor, WashCo Chronicle

Secret Meetings - Bad for Business

The following letter was sent to the Herald-Mail during the 2014 election. It is being re-posted in light of the fact that the City of Hagerstown has held over 40 official "closed door" meetings, as pointed out by the Facebook page "Hagerstown 1st".


There has been much recent discussion and debate regarding transparency, secret meetings, and backroom deals and politics within this community. Most of this discussion has focused on WCPS, and the current Board of Education elections.

I feel that we need to expand this discussion beyond its current scope. I am extremely concerned about the presence of County Commissioner Terry Baker at the “secret meeting” with Mrs. Williams, Mrs. Harshman, Mr. Guessford, and Mr. Stouffer. Mr. Baker specifically stated "I'm a county elected official. I have no say in what happens (in school system personnel matters)."  Residents should question then - if Mr. Baker has no say in those matters, why was he present? What was his role in this meeting?

This brings another question to light - how many other “secret meetings” have there been between our elected officials? Are other local elected officials meeting in secret as well? The Maryland Open Meetings Act requires specific circumstances for a “closed meeting”, but also requires certain disclosures regarding that meeting. By claiming an “unofficial” meeting such as this one does not apply, you are defeating the spirit of the law with the letter of the law.

I have a challenge for our elected officials. Comply with the spirit of the law. If you participated in, or have knowledge of a backroom meeting, come forward and tell the public when it happened and what was discussed. Even if this meeting did not qualify as “official”, if local issues were discussed, then it’s time for full disclosure. As long as backroom meetings are conducted, county residents will never be able to trust that our elected officials have our best interests at heart.

As was stated at the Board of Education meeting - “It’s time for people to start telling the truth.”

Ken Buckler
Boonsboro, MD


Ken Buckler is editor of the WashCo Chronicle

Enhancing Security for Board of Education Meetings

The following letter was sent to the WCPS Board of Education and Superintendent on January 30, 2015, in response to recent concerns expressed by Board of Education member Mike Guessford. The letter is republished in its entirety.

To the Board of Education and Superintendent,

I am writing in response to recent concerns by Board of Education member Mike Guessford with regard to Board of Education meeting security, which was currently published in the Herald Mail.

I was wondering if Mr. Guessford could perhaps clarify what his concerns are? Have there been actual threats against Board of Education members?

Education is very important, and some members of the community can be quite passionate about education issues. I would like to encourage the board to make sure that any enhanced security controls do not interfere with residents right to express their views and participate in the meeting.

As a cyber security consultant, I am also required to learn physical security measures, in order to properly secure data centers, office spaces, etc. I believe that there are two deterrent controls which can be implemented at minimal cost to satisfy Mr. Guessford's concerns, as I understand them currently.

For those not familiar, deterrent controls are security controls designed to deter, but not prevent, a security incident or violation. A common deterrent control we're all very aware of is speed cameras, which deter, but not prevent, people from speeding.

The first deterrent control I would recommend is a simple pole and tape barrier between board of education members and those seated in the room. You've probably seen these barriers at movie theaters.  These barriers do nothing to actually stop someone from going past them, but provide a reminder that people should not pass the barrier unless authorized.  An example of such a barrier is here: http://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/3000mm-queue-barrier-tape-cassette-retractable_60132583782.html

The second deterrent control I would recommend is the presence of an unarmed security guard or off-duty police officer next to the barrier I mentioned above. The mere presence of a security guard or off-duty officer will have an excellent deterrence effect. However, once again, it is important that this guard or off-duty officer not prevent residents from expressing their views or participating in the meeting, as long as they remain on the correct side of the barrier tape. Should they cross the barrier tape uninvited, then that would of course be grounds for removal from the building.

Also, I noted that in the Herald Mail article, active shooter training is not mentioned. I have to strongly encourage active shooter training. I would recommend you watch this video of a New Hope council meeting to see how dangerous an active shooter situation can be to untrained individuals. In the video, the council members are told multiple times to stay down, because they had no idea how to react. Fortunately no-one was injured. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFkk8boW00g

I'd be happy to discuss this issue further with you all. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

Thanks,

Ken Buckler

http://www.washcochronicle.com

Note: After further review the Herald Mail article does mention Active Shooter training is not being considered. This letter was originally intended to state that active shooter training should be considered, contrary to what was mentioned in the original Herald Mail article. This was an editorial error. However, the letter above will remain as-is, as this was what was sent to WCPS and the Board of Education.

Ken Buckler is the editor of the WashCo Chronicle

Hogan's Instructions for Senate Vacancy May Have Been Contrary to Maryland Contitution

HAGERSTOWN, MD - It was recently reported by the Herald-Mail that Governor Hogan's office was in the process of sending instructions for the Washington County Republican Central Committee to nominate multiple candidates for the open Maryland Senate seat, previously held by Christopher Shank.

Further research shows that Governor Hogan most likely cannot instruct a committee to nominate more than one candidate, as he would be in essence instructing them to ignore the state constitution. A book on Maryland Constitution, page 140-141, cites an Attorney General opinion from 1977: "The central committees are supposed to nominate only one candidate, "but if a central committee 'ignore[s] the clear intent of the Constitution and submit[s] the name of two or more qualified persons to the Governor, the Governor cannot ignore the names . . . [but] must appoint one of these persons to the vacancy.' 62 Op. Att'y Gen. 241 (October 19, 1977)"

The Maryland Constitution states:

SEC. 13. (a) (1) In case of death, disqualification, resignation, refusal to act, expulsion, or removal from the county or city for which he shall have been elected, of any person who shall have been chosen as a Delegate or Senator, or in case of a tie between two or more such qualified persons, the Governor shall appoint a person to fill such vacancy from a person whose name shall be submitted to him in writing, within thirty days after the occurrence of the vacancy, by the Central Committee of the political party, if any, with which the Delegate or Senator, so vacating, had been affiliated, at the time of the last election or appointment of the vacating Senator or Delegate, in the County or District from which he or she was appointed or elected, provided that the appointee shall be of the same political party, if any, as was that of the Delegate or Senator, whose office is to be filled, at the time of the last election or appointment of the vacating Delegate or Senator, and it shall be the duty of the Governor to make said appointment within fifteen days after the submission thereof to him.

... currently non-relevant section omitted ...

(b) In addition, and in submitting a name to the Governor to fill a vacancy in a legislative or delegate district, as the case may be, in any of the twenty-three counties of Maryland, the Central Committee or committees shall follow these provisions:

(1) If the vacancy occurs in a district having the same boundaries as a county, the Central Committee of the county shall submit the name of a resident of the district.

(2) If the vacancy occurs in a district which has boundaries comprising a portion of one county, the Central Committee of that county shall submit the name of a resident of the district.

(3) If the vacancy occurs in a district which has boundaries comprising a portion or all of two or more counties, the Central Committee of each county involved shall have one vote for submitting the name of a resident of the district; and if there is a tie vote between or among the Central Committees, the list of names there proposed shall be submitted to the Governor, and he shall make the appointment from the list (amended by Chapter 584, Acts of 1935, ratified Nov. 3, 1936; Chapter 162, Acts of 1966, ratified Nov. 8, 1966; Chapter 681, Acts of 1977, ratified Nov. 7, 1978; Chapter 649, Acts of 1986, ratified Nov. 4, 1986).

Any instructions by Governor Hogan to the Central Committee to submit multiple names for the vacancy would be a violation of the Maryland constitution. The only time a list of names should be submitted under the Maryland Constitution is if a district comprises of multiple counties.

Simply put, the Washington County Republican Central Committee followed the Maryland Constitution appropriately.

Ken Buckler is the editor of the WashCo Chronicle

WashCo Chronicle encourages discussion of current political issues and candidates, regardless of viewpoints. Please keep comments polite, and on topic.

Ryan Miner outlines Delegate 2A Replacement Process

HAGERSTOWN, MD - Local resident Ryan Miner, host of "A Miner Detail", has recently released a podcast outlining the process which will be used to replace Delegate Serafini, who has been submitted to Governor Hogan for the vacant Senate position.

Listen to Mr. Miner's podcast here.

WashCo Chronicle encourages discussion of current political issues and candidates, regardless of viewpoints. Please keep comments polite, and on topic.

Maryland Senate Seat to be Filled from Existing Delegation

Washington County, MD - Maryland Delegate Serafini, or Maryland Delegate Parrott, will most likely be the replacement for Maryland Senator Shank, who has been appointed as the next Executive Director of the Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention.

Per the Washington County Republican Central Committee:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JANUARY 16, 2015

CONTACT: STEVE SHOWE, CHAIRMAN, WCRCC - 301-667-0667

On Tuesday, January 13, 2015, Governor-elect Hogan announced his selection of current sitting State Senator for Washington County District 2, Christopher Shank, to be the next Executive Director of the Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention. It is the decision of the committee that the vacancy will be filled from within the current membership of the Washington County Delegation representing District 2. No public applications will be accepted for this seat. 

The committee will be working to expedite this appointment as soon as possible so that Washington County remains well represented in Annapolis during the 2015 Session of the Maryland General Assembly. The 2015 Session began on Wednesday, January 14, 2015. An announcement will be made immediately once the nominee is selected. The name will then be sent to then Governor Hogan for confirmation and appointment.

This will create an opening for another Maryland Delegate, once Governor Hogan confirms the committee's recommendation.

According to local resident and former candidate for Washington County Board of Education Ryan Miner, Serafini is the best choice to replace Shank:

Washington County voters deserve someone who always places public service above partisanship, and we expect that whomever is nominated, this person will not sacrifice principles, but will be open to working across the political divide to resolve Maryland’s fiscal crisis.

For these reasons, I believe that Delegate Andrew Serafini is the best individual to fill Senator Shank’s District 2 Seat.

 You can read more on Mr. Miner's opinion at "A Miner Detail".

Ken Buckler is the editor of the WashCo Chronicle. Many thanks to Ryan Miner for providing political commentary on this issue.

WashCo Chronicle encourages discussion of current political issues and candidates, regardless of viewpoints. Please keep comments polite, and on topic.

Discovery Station to host "Superhero 5k"

Get ready Hagerstown for the most extraordinary day of your life! Superheroes of all shapes, sizes and strengths will be descending upon our wonderful city! You’ll have more capes and masks than your power levels can handle! This is a battle to support Discovery Station and the race to the finish line will be of epic proportions!

Date: May 2, 2015

Where: Downtown Hagerstown, MD

Registration Opens at 7:30 am Sharp!

9:00 am for the 5k run

9:30 am for the 1mi walk

Awards will be awarded for the:

Best Selfie, Best Costume, Best Group Theme, & the highly coveted ‘Most Heroic Award’!

Register now!

All proceeds from this race go directly to Discovery Station at Hagerstown, Inc. and the costs associated with operations, program development and exhibit expansion.

About the Discovery Station:
Discovery Station at Hagerstown creates exciting hands-on learning experiences that stimulate a curiosity for discovery, exploration and further investigation by children and adults to foster life-long learning. The programs and interactive exhibits on science, technology and history are unique educational resources available to all of its visitors.

"Soup with Santa" to Benefit Local 11 Year Old with Brain Cancer

MAUGANSVILLE, MD - Modern Woodmen of America Chapter 6118 members from Hagerstown, MD and Martinsburg, WV will sponsor their 2nd Soup with Santa fundraiser on December 6th, 2014 to benefit Joseph Henson, a local 11 year old who is fighting brain cancer.

Joe Henson is a local 11 year old boy fighting brain cancer. Joe and his mother Angela have been at Johns Hopkins hospital since June 26 when he was airlifted from Meritus Hospital. Joe had surgery just three days later to remove as much of the tumor as they could. He has undergone six weeks of radiation therapy and currently continues chemotherapy. Joe has had a really hard time post-op and still has not regained many functions you and I take for granted. Joe misses his brother and sisters, who are staying with his grandmother in Williamsport. It's been a tough road the past few years, as Joe lost his father Chris 3 years ago to a car accident.

Plans for the fundraiser include: Soups (by Dustin Dumire), a sandwich, chips, a dessert, a drink, and a visit and e-photo with Santa Claus (with your camera or by Photographer Mike Frevert). The Modern Woodmen will also have Silent Auction items to bid on, and Raffle ticket sales.

The event will run from 1 AM to 3PM, on Saturday, December 6th at the Maugansville Ruritan Club located at 180 7 Maugans Ave., Maugansville, MD 21740.

For more information, please visit the Facebook event page.

"Giving Tuesday" - A New Holiday Tradition

HAGERSTOWN, MD - You know the drill. Every holiday season, Thanksgiving kicks off an extended weekend of eating, sleeping, and shopping.

• Thursday - eat, watch Football.
• Friday - go shopping!
• Saturday - go shopping at local businesses!
• Sunday - rest!
• Monday - go shopping online!

But this year, why not start a new holiday tradition?

On Tuesday, December 2, 2014, charities, families, businesses, community centers, and students around the world will come together for one common purpose: to celebrate generosity and to give.

The event is called #GivingTuesday. Just find a way for your family, your community, your company or your organization to come together to give something more. Then tell everyone you can about how you are giving. Join us and be a part of a global celebration of a new tradition of generosity.

If you're looking for a suggestion on where to give, giving local is best. One recommended charity is the Discovery Station in Hagerstown, MD. The Discovery Station is a local non-profit dedicated to science and technology education.

What other local charities are you interested in donating to this #GivingTuesday? Please feel free to share!