Author: Staff Reports

HAGERSTOWN, MD- The Incubators + Labs at Hagerstown Community College will host the second annual Hagerstown Startup Week, from May 20 to 22. This free, three-day conference is designed to inspire entrepreneurship and help business leaders build momentum and gain resources. It will offer an opportunity for entrepreneurs to connect and network with both resource providers and fellow founders. “Last year’s first Startup Week was a huge success and we’re excited to offer it again this year,” said HCC President Jim Klauber. “We encourage inspired members of our community to take advantage of everything that will be offered during this…

HARRISBURG- The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced that all driver license and photo centers, including its full-service center in Harrisburg, will be closed Saturday, May 25, 2024, through Monday, May 27, 2024, in observance of Memorial Day.  Customers may still obtain a variety of driver and vehicle products and services, including all forms, publications, and driver training manuals, online through PennDOT’s Driver and Vehicle Services website. Driver and vehicle online services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and include driver’s license, photo ID and vehicle registration renewals; driver-history services; changes of address; driver license and…

CASCADE, MD- For teens in the Fort Ritchie area, Tuesday evenings from 7:15 to 8:30 p.m. offer an exciting opportunity to stay active, socialize, and explore new interests. The Fort Ritchie Community Center hosts its popular “Teen Night,” providing a safe and engaging environment for young people to spend their time productively. One of the highlights of Teen Night is the availability of various sports facilities. Teens can come in and participate in their favorite athletic activities, whether it’s shooting hoops on the basketball court, playing a friendly game of volleyball, or engaging in other indoor sports. The community center…

WAYNESBORO – The Greater Waynesboro Area will host the Eighth Annual Mason-Dixon Appalachian Trail Outdoor Festival on Saturday, June 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Red Run Park in Rouzerville. The free rain-or-shine event provides opportunities for hikers and outdoor lovers of all kinds to learn more about the Appalachian Trail in the Mason-Dixon region. A variety of activities will be offered at the family-friendly Red Run Park, located at 12143 Buchanan Trail East, just west of where the famous hiking trail crosses PA Route 16. Live music will entertain festival-goers throughout the day. The band Mountain Air…

CHAMBERSBURG– The Franklin County Commissioners have proclaimed May 13-19, 2024, to be National Salvation Army Week in Franklin County. The Salvation Army has been serving the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of Franklin County residents for 118 years. Although the organization is most visible during its holiday season Red Kettle campaign, the Salvation Army provides life-changing aid and services 365 days a year. That includes being present wherever the needs are greatest, particularly during times of crisis, where vulnerable individuals are more at risk of becoming homeless, food insecure, addicted or spiritually tired. To provide those services, the Salvation Army…

When Maria Loaisiga took her personal vehicle in for service over the years, she often had an experience lamented by many people, particularly women. She’d be misled on the scope of the problem or upsold on services she didn’t need. “If I go somewhere, they can tell you anything,” she said. Loaisiga and her husband, Francesco Altamirano, have owned a heating, ventilation and air conditioning business since 2020. They were looking for another investment when they had a fortuitous conversation with a friend who had two decades of experience as a mechanic. That conversation led to the opening of Bulldog…

Community leaders and supporters were joined by elected officials and community members Thursday evening to celebrate a groundbreaking ceremony for the student housing complex for the proposed Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine. The complex, Meritus Commons, will include 340 one- and two-bedroom student apartments, a club house, commons area and dog park. The first 90 units will be completed in time for the proposed medical school’s first class to move in before the fall 2025 semester. The complex is just a quarter mile from the school’s flagship building, the D.M. Bowman Academic Hall, adjacent to the Meritus Medical Center campus,…

GREENCASTLE – The Greencastle Senior Center is rolling out the red carpet for an open house celebration on Friday, May 31 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event, held at the center’s location at 10615 Antrim Church Road, promises a day filled with activities, entertainment and information for local seniors. The open house will feature guided tours of the facility, allowing visitors to explore the center’s amenities and services. A yard sale will offer an array of gently used items for purchase, with proceeds benefiting the center’s programs. Art enthusiasts can delight in an art show showcasing the talents…

In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic changed the ways most everyone conducted their home and work lives, Rick Bibbee was anxious to find a way to fulfill his personal and professional passion of putting talented musical artists before receptive crowds. He handed a microphone to an artist and broadcast the music via FM radio to people parked in vehicles at the Leitersburg Ruritan Club. “There were eight or nine cars at the first show,” Bibbee said. “The next had a couple more.” The experience morphed into an entire music series, which was held in its second year in a gazebo…

HARRISBURG- The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced that a detour is planned for a box culvert and retaining wall replacement project on Route 97 in Germany Township, Adams County. The structures are located between Mathias Road and Georgetown Road just north of the Maryland state line. Weather permitting, the detour will begin Thursday, June 13, and is expected to be lifted by Friday, August 16, 2024. Traffic heading north from south of the closure should take Old Hanover Road north near Union Mills in Maryland and cross into Pennsylvania where the road is designated Pine Grove Road. They should…