Hagerstown Magazine - November/December 2023

HAGERSTOWN :: November/December 2023 Escaping Their War-Torn Home in Ukraine :: Downtown Hagerstown for the Holidays :: Unusual Places to Stay

New public and private construction investment is changing the face of Hagerstown. Is this the revitalization the city has been waiting for?

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VOLUME XX, ISSUE 2

MANAGING EDITOR

Jeff Thoreson ART DIRECTOR

Alexandra Werder GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Ian Sager

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Chuck Boteler | Ext. 115 • cboteler@hagerstownmag.com Stephanie Dewees | Ext. 120 • stephdewees@fredmag.com Terri Davis | Ext. 113 • tdavis@fredmag.com Debra Tyson | Ext. 111 • dtyson@fredmag.com BUSINESS & CIRCULATION

Stephanie Dewees | Ext. 120 subscriptions@hagerstownmag.com WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT

HighRock Studios

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

April Bartel Ken Buckler Maryann Fisher Allison Hurwitz

Live here. Learn here.

Stay here.

The University System of Maryland at Hagerstown (USMH) is a regional higher education center that offers upper-division-undergraduate and graduate academic programs of the universities within the University System of Maryland at its state-of-the-art facility in downtown Hagerstown.

To learn more about programs offered at USMH, visit Hagerstown.usmd.edu

Charles Jeffries Mike Marotte III Jennifer Mellace Crystal Schelle

PHOTOGRAPHY

Bill Kamenjar Turner Photography Studio BUSINESS OFFICE

Hagerstown Publishing 6 N. East St., Suite 301 Frederick, MD 21701 SEND MAIL TO:

P.O. Box 2415 Hagerstown, MD 21741

HAGERSTOWN PUBLISHING

32 W. Washington Street, Hagerstown, MD 21740

hagerstown.usmd.edu | 240.527.2060

Telephone: 301.662.8171

www.hagerstownmagazine.com

FIVE UNIVERSITIES. ONE LOCAL CAMPUS. Hagerstown magazine is published bimonthly by Hagerstown Publishing, LLC, 6 N. East St., Suite 301, Frederick, MD 21701. The publisher is Shawn Dewees. Editor is Jeff Thoreson. The magazine is owned by Hagerstown Publishing, LLC, whose sole stockholder is Shawn Dewees. For the Sept./Oct. 2023 issue, the number of copies printed was 6500: paid circulation was 3918, which includes 3385 mail subscriptions, 500 single copy sales and 33 others sold. There were 2205 complimentary copies. The number of copies not distributed was 377. From Nov. 2022 to Sept. 2023, the averages for distribution were as follows: copies printed were 6500, paid circulation was 3910 which included 3400 mail subscriptions, 480 single copy sales and 30 other sales. There were 2190 complimentary copies. The number of copies not distributed was 400. Hagerstown Publishing, LLC, 6 N. East St., Printed on Recycled Suite 301, Frederick, MD 21701.

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contents

VOLUME XX, ISSUE 2

THE BEST OF LIFE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY

FEATURES

24 Changing Hagerstown

The amount of new construction from public and private investment going on in Hagerstown means new jobs and more tax revenue. Is this the revitalization the city has been waiting for?

30 Out of the War Zone

Svitlana and Anatolii Rochniak struggled through a difficult life in war-torn Ukraine just a few miles from the Russian border. Then, a group of Washington County residents stepped in to help.

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DEPARTMENTS ON THE COVER Construction of the new downtown Hagerstown Multi-Use Sports and Events Facility progresses near the city’s iconic mural.

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FROM THE EDITOR AND CONTRIBUTORS

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COUNTY LINES Short stories about interesting people and places of Washingon County.

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CALENDAR

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HOLIDAY EVENTS

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THE RETURN OF BASEBALL The Hagerstown Flying Boxcars enter a different type of professional baseball league next spring.

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DAYTRIPPER City streets light up at this time of year and people flood downtown for various festivals and events, or just to browse in the local shops or enjoy the fine restaurants.

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UNUSUAL STAYS Travelers and locals looking for a quick getaway can stay in a hotel or a bed-and-breakfast, but these four places offer an interesting alternative for couples or families.

DINING Hagerstown Regional Airport, also known as Richard A. Henson Field, plays a historic role in the region. It also is home to one of the city’s fine-dining establishments— the Runways Grille.

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DINING GUIDE

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SENIOR LIVING EVENTS

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FINISHING TOUCHES Maryann Fisher discusses approaches to holiday decorating to liven up your home for the holidays.

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A DOSE OF SATIRE Maybe you haven’t been paying close enough attention, but the Great Hagerstown Christmas Tree Caper may have gotten by you.

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FROM THE EDITOR

LET ME INTRODUCE MYSELF…

WHO WE ARE

WELL, THERE’S A NEW FACE IN THE EDITOR’S CHAIR AT HAGERSTOWN MAGAZINE, SO I GUESS OUR READERS DESERVE A QUICK INTRODUCTION, EVEN THOUGH THERE’S NOTHING SPECIAL OR OVERLY EXCITING ABOUT THAT NEW FACE—MINE.

APRIL BARTEL “In my family, we jokingly say ‘I food you’ instead of ‘I love you’ because there is so much emotion behind sharing recipes, preparing food for someone you care about, and sharing those most delectable morsels.

Writing about food is another way to share the love.”

I’ve written for and edited magazines for close to 30 years now, and before that I wrote for and edited sections for two of the largest newspaper chains in the country.

Yes, that puts me on the tail end of my career, and I was on the glidepath to retirement when the folks who own this and other magazines suddenly needed help. It had been a few years since I edited a lifestyle magazine, but it’s kinda like that riding a bike thing—maybe you’re out of practice, but you never really forget how to pedal and balance. So, I chipped in on the last issue of Hagerstown Magazine, and I guess did OK because they asked me to stay on. So, here I am. In the editor’s chair.

The way I see it, my job is to polish the gem of a magazine that you, our readers, have come to enjoy. Toward that end we have a little something new for you this issue. We’ve expanded the upfront section that used to be called “In Short” into several pages called “County Lines,” which is a bunch of short stories (lines) about our county (Washington) and its interesting people and places. Hopefully, each month we’ll have some stories in this section covering things you don’t know about our county.

As issues of the magazine come and go, we’ll make more tweaks; some you’ll notice, others you might not. But polishing a lifestyle magazine never ends. So, enjoy this issue, and I hope to see you for many more to come.

JENNIFER MELLACE “When I listen to someone’s story, I see a puzzle just waiting to be pieced together.

Through inquisitive yet thoughtful questions, I seek out those pieces and then weave them together into a work of art–a story.”

– Jeff Thoreson 6

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This is Washington County

An electric trolley on the Hagerstown & Frederick Railway maneuvers through a bustling Hagerstown Square circa 1900.

Something You Don’t Know About WaCo POTOMAC EDISON PROVIDES ELECTRICITY throughout Washington County, but perhaps unique among utilities, the company traces its roots to a 19th century electric trolley system. The Hagerstown & Frederick Railway, which was formed in a merger between trolley systems in both cities, carried its first passengers in 1896. Eventually, the system became one of the most complex trolley systems in the country, offering service to dozens of communities and becoming a vital link for area farmers and merchants.

But by the early 1920s, more than 60 percent of H&F Railway’s revenue came not from selling trolley tickets but from selling excess electricity to residents and businesses. Seeing that as the future, the railway reincorporated itself as the Potomac Public Service Company. Although H&F carried its last passengers in 1954, far longer than most other trolley systems that had emerged around the country, the company provides electricity to our homes and businesses still today.

THE GROUND OF ANTIETAM NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD IS HALLOWED BECAUSE THE BATTLE WAS ONE OF THE TWO OR THREE most significant of the Civil War, and its role in changing the course of American history cannot be underestimated. Still, more than 150 years later, even while touring the battlefield, it is difficult to put America’s bloodiest day in perspective. Approximately 3,650 soldiers were killed outright and approximately 17,300 were wounded. About one in seven soldiers died from their wounds during the Civil War. Visitors can walk the terrain, peruse interpretive wayside exhibits, review maps with troop movements, and see images captured by Alexander Gardner in the days that followed the battle…gruesome images of bloated corpses laid out for burial.

The one thing that’s hard to grasp is what 23,110 casualties strewn across the landscape would look like. So, on the first Saturday every December, volunteers lay luminaries for each causality. The Antietam Illumination began in 1989, helping visitors grasp that day in a hauntingly beautiful way. Frank Brennan captured this image last year.

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If This Tree Could Talk THE HUGE YELLOW POPLAR TREE THAT DOMINATES the traffic circle at the St. James School south of Hagerstown isn’t just another tree that casts shade and turns fiery colors in the fall. It is one of five trees in Washington County that was around when the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776.

Although showing its age, the 131-foot tree remains a steady presence at St. James. If trees could talk, this one would probably tell stories of Civil War soldiers resting in its shade, and who knows what else may have taken place in its vicinity over the last 248 years.

The other four bicentennial trees are on private land and include a White Oaks in Clear Spring and Hagerstown and two Chinkapin Oaks in Hagerstown.

The Maryland Big Trees Program identifies bicentennial trees as well as county and state champion trees and re-measures them every 10 years. The St. James Yellow Poplar, the only one of the county’s five bicentennial trees on public land, was last measured in 2020. It has a circumference of 19 feet and an average crown spread of 107 feet.

“There could well be other bicentennial trees in Washington County that are unknown to us,” says Doug Inkley, a Washington County resident and a member of the Maryland Big Tree Committee. “There is no systematic survey. We depend on landowners and other interested people to make nominations.”

As most of the forest land in Washington County has been clearcut and regrown, there probably aren’t any bicentennial trees deep in the woods. Inkley says old cemeteries, fence rows, and long-established farms are good places to look.

Former Washington County Forestry Board member Celeste Maiorana was the last one to measure the Yellow Poplar, which is also a county champion tree.

She says forestry programs like the Maryland Big Tree Program can accept tax-deductible donations (www. marylandforestryboards.org).

Also, citizens can nominate trees to be measured as possible county, state, or national champions. Nominations can be made at www.mdbigtrees.org The bicentennial tree list dates back to 1975 when the Maryland Bicentennial Commission asked local foresters to identify trees that might have been alive at the time of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

In all, 292 trees were nominated state-wide, though it is unclear how many of them were confirmed and awarded a plaque that read: “It has stood its ground, survived the American Revolution, and continues to serve an appreciative nation, July 1976.” Now there are 47 bicentennial trees on the state list.

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Mapping Our County DO YOU NEED INFORMATION ABOUT THE stormwater management of the watershed you live in? Or maybe your needs are more basic, like where your kids will go to school?

The detailed data included in digital maps these days is extensive, and the Washington County website (www.washco-md. net) includes a page of maps that compile geographic information that provides layered data that shows everything from the location of more than 100 cemeteries in the county to currently approved development sites. Need some produce for dinner tonight? One map shows the location of dozens of farmer’s markets and farm stands.

Barbara Ingram Foundation Announces New Board Members: ERIKA BELL, OWNER OF TRIBE COLD PRESS Juice Bar in Hagerstown, and Wanda Mounts, investment and trust services relationship manager for F&M Trust, have been named to the board of directors of the Barbara Ingram School for the Arts (BISFA) Foundation. Bell opened the juice bar on Potomac Street two years ago, serving cold press juice, smoothies and a variety of baked goods. Mounts has worked for F&M Trust for the past year and a half after being vice president of Trust Administration at The Family Heritage Trust Company for almost 14 years.

Chamber Hosts 104th Annual Meeting: WASHINGTON COUNTY CHAMBER OF Commerce outgoing chair Mike Radaker of MEC, Inc., passed the gavel to the 2024 chair Dwight Clark of Jamison Door Company at the chamber’s 104th annual meeting in September. The board recognized Ashton Vattelana of the Emerald Square Edward Jones office for her work to revitalize the chamber’s Coffee and Connections event to better showcase chamber members and provide a more engaging program for business leaders to expand their networks.

In addition, Matt Jozik of F&M Trust was recognized for his efforts to help create a successful financial empowerment learning initiative designed for teenagers in our community, called Cash ‘n Dreams.

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| BIZ BUZZ

Tomu Opens Production Facility at Airport TOMU, INC., HAS MOVED INTO ITS NEW PRODUCTION facility at the historic Hagerstown Regional Airport where the innovative hospitality company will expand its manufacturing capabilities for modular building products.

Tomu designs and builds prefabricated guest rooms using its proprietary modular building system to address the shortage in lodging supply and the emerging traveler demand for more diverse and sustainable travel options.

“Our move to Hagerstown Airport marks the most significant step for Tomu since the opening of our first facility in 2021,” says CEO Chris Osaka. “The airport has been a hub for innovation and manufacturing since its early days, and we hope to reignite that legacy with the opening of this new facility.”

Hagerstown Regional Airport has a rich history dating

back to 1928 and saw significant growth when the Fairchild Aviation Corporation took over in 1929. During World War II, the Fairchild factory at Hagerstown produced training and transport aircraft for the war with more than 10,000 aircraft produced before closing in 1984.

Tomu’s guest units come in both pre-designed and configurable options, allowing both independent and franchised hotel operators a way to reduce project development times and lower operating costs. Tomu was also recently named a finalist in the 2023 Hospitality Design Awards in the Sustainable Solutions category. The company’s stated mission is to create a greener and more diverse future for hospitality by enabling aspiring hoteliers to bring their unique lodging concepts to life more quickly, cost-effectively, and sustainably.

In Business for a Century and a Half THE HEYDAY OF THE C&O CANAL WAS AN ECONOMIC lifeline for western Maryland. In 1873, partners Edward Steffy and James Findlay started floating coal and lumber from the mountains down the canal to Williamsport where they had set up a local distribution company using horse-drawn wagons. Now, 150 years later, the wagons are long gone, but Steffey & Findlay is still going strong as one of the oldest businesses in Washington County.

Success for a century and a half doesn’t come from resting on one’s laurels. By the end of the 19th century, the company had adjusted to the changing economic climate. Bricks became a primary building material and from a new location in Hagerstown with access to the Western Maryland Railroad the company’s motorized trucks fanned out for deliveries. Eventually front-end loaders, forklifts, and boom trucks made deliveries easier and much less laborious.

The two families owned the company until 1929 when Kenneth Adams and Braden Ridenour bought the majority of the stock. They had the foresight to introduce fuel oil to the

local marketplace, and now Steffy & Findlay is the oldest fuel oil distributor in the county.

In 1960, Adams’ son, Phil, bought the majority of the stock, and he has continued to expand the company, selling concrete products like veneer stone, retaining wall and garden block, and paving materials.

“We have concentrated on service throughout our years of business, which has helped to maintain our existence,” Phil Adams says. “We very much appreciate our customers and try do the best work we can for them.”

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| TIME TRAVELER

The Dusty Trail of the Early Lincoln Highway OUR TIME TRAVELER, LOCAL HISTORIAN MIKE MAROTTE, takes us back to the early days of the Lincoln Highway, America’s first national memorial to the late President Abraham Lincoln. It was the first transcontinental highway and one of the first high-

ways designed specifically for automobile traffic. Dedicated on October 31, 1913, we still know it as the Lincoln Highway even though it was redesignated as U.S. Route 30 in the establishment of the U.S. Numbers Highway System of 1926.

THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE STOPPING AT AN INN at the end of a day’s journey. This large Conestoga wagon was very heavy, and the travel was slow. At the inn the wagoners could get their meals, rest their horses, and catch up on the news of the day.

CITIZENS WHO WANTED A FASTER MEANS OF TRAVEL could take the stagecoach to their destination. This was a very rough and dirty means of transportation during the 1850s along the trail that would become the Lincoln Highway. The road we know today was originally used by all types of wagons and stagecoaches, but at the end of a long trip, riders would have to collect their thoughts.

MOST OF THE CONESTOGA WAGONS REQUIRED A six-team hitch of horses for a long trip. Wagons shared the road with automobiles. It was a rough ride over the hard surface, wooden bridges, and the elements of the weather. Wagoners surely earned their wages for what they had to endure.

A PARADE OF AUTOMOBILES PASSES THROUGH Caledonia State Park on its way to Fayetteville, Pennsylvania, on October 4th, 1921, the day approximately 30,000 people with their automobiles turned out in Fayetteville, Pennsylvania, for a celebration called the Good Roads Jubilee. The Lincoln Highway was one of America’s first “good roads.”

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WCDBEC Wins International Awards

GROWN LOCAL, AN AGRIBUSINESS magazine published by the Washington County Department of Business and Economic Development received the 2023 Gold Award from the International Economic Development Council for its local promotional efforts.

The publication won in the Magazine & Newsletter category for its promotion of farming and conservation in Washington County. The WCDBED won the Bronze Award in the Multimedia/Video Promotion category for its “Faces of Farming” video campaign.

Nathan Ohle, IEDC president and CEO, said the WCDBEC ”has raised the bar for excellence in economic development with its Grown Local magazine and ‘Faces of Farming’ Video campaign.”

The award, Ohle said, is a testament to the department’s “dedication to its residents and serves as a great example of how economic development can help transform a community for the better.”

Every year IEDC awards exemplary performance in the economic development profession to projects that have significant impact in re-shaping and improving the practice of economic development.

WCDBED published the magazine in conjunction with Hagerstown Magazine.

“The Grown Local publication conveys the heart and soul of what farming in our community looks and feels like while providing our citizens with a resource to engage with the industry’s products,” said Jonathan Horowitz, director of the Department of Business and Economic Development. “The ‘Faces of Farming’ video campaign can tug at even the toughest of heartstrings and is designed to be used as an educational piece to a variety of audiences.”

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Decades in the Making MORE THAN 30 YEARS AGO, HAGERSTOWN OFFICIALS floated the idea of commissioning a memorial sculpture to Clara Barton, the first nurse granted permission to be on the battlefield during fighting when she cared for wounded soldiers during the Battle of Antietam in 1862.

The project didn’t gain much traction and amid difficulty finding an experienced sculptor and raising money, it was ultimately tabled.

Decades later city officials renewed the idea and formed the Clara Barton Memorial Committee, which brought the project to fruition. In September ground was broken at a site on the Hagerstown Cultural Trail along Virginia Avenue near Park Circle, where the statue is to be installed before the end of the year or early next year.

When the project was first conceived, Toby Mendez was fresh out of art school. Now, the Knoxville resident has sculpted dozens of life-like bronze statues, including one of Thurgood Marshall at the memorial to him in Annapolis and the likes of Jim Palmer, Eddie Murray, Cal Ripken, Frank Robinson, Brooks Robinson, and Earl Weaver at Camden Yards.

Mendez began work on the sculpture, which shows Barton giving medical aid to a wounded soldier, two years ago.

The actual creation of the monument, which is 170 percent life-size, took about a year. It will be placed on a 30-inch granite pedestal.

The Clara Barton statue will be one more piece of the internationally acclaimed artist’s work that commemorates historic and significant figures. Among his most notable works are a life-size statue of blues musician B.B. King and his guitar ‘Lucielle’ at the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center in Indianola, Mississippi; an eight-foot bronze statue of Danny Thomas and three children at the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee; and four over-size statues of Boston Red Sox players Ted Williams, Dom DiMaggio, Bobby Doerr, and Johnny Pesky at historic Fenway Park.

Locally, Mendez created the six-foot-by-12-foot bronze bas relief entitled “Our Journey Transports Us Through Time” at the Washington County Free Library.

Mendez studied at the School of Art Institute in Chicago and apprenticed with John Chambers, winner of a 1969 Academy Award for his makeup work on the movie The Planet of the Apes.

Toby Mendez working on the Clara Barton memorial sculpture for the Hagerstown Cultural Walk.

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More than Fit DURING FIT IN BOONSBORO’S 12 YEARS, fitness manager Renee Shuckman has helped cultivate a beautiful community of positive, dedicated, and strong women. On any given morning, you can find a committed group gathered for strength training, cardio, yoga, pilates, cycling, and a variety of other exercise classes.

While attending four to five classes per week for seven years, Mary McNeil has watched her strength and endurance improve, but that’s not all.

“There were physical benefits, but the unexpected was the group of friendly women, the caring community, friendships, social events, and creative events, all within a nurturing atmosphere,” she says. “The sense of community is strong...the morning class-goers are a circle of heartfelt supporters of each other.”

Having worked and trained at many facilities in New York, New Jersey, and Maryland, Shuckman is aware of just how special the Fit community is.

“It’s supportive, very welcoming, nonjudgmental, and open to trying anything we offer,” she says.

“It’s not just a place to workout, it’s a group of people who care about each other,” says Cindy Weaver, a class regular of more than a decade.

Through Covid, navigating loss, and other life challenges, the camaraderie at Fit in Boonsboro has been a constant, and healthy, presence for the members.

“Renee is always trying different ways to help people stay connected,” Weaver says. “I truly feel the love here at Fit.” Despite being a tight-knit bunch, they are always welcoming and encouraging of new members—men and women, young and old, fitness die-hards and first-timers.

“Everyone has to start somewhere,” says Shuckman. “Being a member of a gym, especially one such as Fit, allows people to build connections, make friends, and gives single and widowed folks a human sense of belonging.”

Healthy for body, soul, and spirit—what could be better than that?

– Allison Horwitz

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CALENDAR november to december MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

11th

NOVEMBER 4

FALL BACK–CIDER, SPIRITS & WINEFEST

Washington County Agricultural Education Center, 7313 Sharpsburg Pk., Boonsboro

More than 125 varieties of libations represented by more than 25 combined wineries, cideries, distilleries, and breweries. All alcohol samples are included in your admission in your festival tasting glass. Take part in numerous games and contests, browse and shop from dozens of vendors, and enjoy some scrumptious grub from the best local food vendors. Don’t forget to bring your dancing shoes and jam with Springbrooke and The Reagan Years. 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. 301-259-1991 or www.ifg-events.com/fallbackfestival.

NOVEMBER 11

PICASSO ON PAPER: THE ARTIST AS PRINTMAKER 1923-72 Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, 401 Museum Drive, Hagerstown

This is the first exhibition at the museum in more than 50 years of the work of Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), one of the most influential masters of the 20th century.

Often considered the most innovative printmaker since Rembrandt, Picasso ultimately created more than 2,400 prints over his long career. Nov. 11, 2023 to March 3, 2024. 301- 739-5727 or www.wcmfa.org.

DECEMBER 31

KRUMPE’S DONUT DROP City Square, 10 Public Sq., Hagerstown

Don’t miss the fun on the square with free AC&T coffee and hot chocolate and, of course, free Krumpe’s donuts to the first 5,000 people. Thanks to Doing Better Business Quad States for sponsoring this year’s fireworks and sending us out with a bang. We hope you’ll make the Krumpe’s Donut Drop the first stop for your New Year’s Eve plans. Be sure to stop by downtown restaurants and shops that will be having specials in honor of the big event. 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. 301-791-1221 or www.krumpesdonuts.com.

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NOVEMBER 3, 4, 5, 10, 11/ DECEMBER 22,23

“ANOTHER MERRY MURDEROUS CHRISTMAS FROM THE GOLDEN GIRLS” Washington County Playhouse Dinner Theatre, 44 North Potomac St., Hagerstown

Dorothy Zwieback, Blanche Delovely, Rose Niblet, and Sophia Tiparillo are throwing another of their famous Christmas parties. But where is Dorothy? Lucy Lovett, Blanche’s niece and Dorothy’s literary agent, seems to be the only one with an alibi. Fortunately, obsessive-compulsive detective Adrian Monk and assistant Sharona are on hand to solve the mystery, with the help of the guests.

Friday and Saturday 6 p.m., Sunday 3 p.m.

301-739-7469 or www.washingtoncountyplayhouse.com.

century, including techniques to spruce up your hearth and home. This month’s cocktail is the Wassail, the name meaning “be in good health,” and is made from hot mulled cider. 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. 301-797-8782 or visit www.washcohistory.org.

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DUELING PIANOS

The Maryland Theatre, 21 S. Potomac St., Hagerstown

Felix and Fingers brings the party to The Maryland Theatre with a high-energy, all-request show that thrives off audience participation. From Sinatra to Lady GaGa, Felix and Fingers plays your requests and has you singing along. 7:30 p.m. 301-790-3500 or www.mdtheatre.org.

NOVEMBER 11

CASH BASH LIVE’S SALUTE TO VETERANS & BAND JAM

Hagerstown Aviation Museum, 14211 Basore Dr., Hagerstown

3rd

NOVEMBER 10

CARING FOR THE CAREGIVER RESOURCE FAIL EM Tobias Family Center Atrium, 324 East Antietam St., Hagerstown

Keynote speaker Dr. Michael Hann, chief medical officer at Brook Lane will discuss several things, including common medications taken by those needing a caregiver and the expected side effects, knowing when you as a caregiver may need extra help, the critical information your doctor needs to know during visits, and the importance of remembering to take care of yourself while caring for others. 301-733.0331 or www.brooklane.org.

CULTURE & COCKTAILS: 18TH CENTURY HOLIDAY DECORATING

Miller House Museum, 135 W. Washington St., Hagerstown

Are you interested in decorating your home for the holidays in a festive colonial or early Federal period style? Join master gardener Denny Warrenfeltz of Roostervane Gardens as he shares festive holiday and winter decorating demonstrations of the late 18th

Family activities, craft vendors, food trucks, beer, wine, and a local distillery will be here as well. Celebrate Veteran’s Day with a special red-carpet salute at 7 p.m. and local Band Jam throughout the event. Join Club Medics, Joyride, Ted Casper, The Cruisers, Gravel, Brian Nichols, Kam Stewart, Bobby D & The Truck Stop Burritos, Ty & The Fish Featuring Lindsay D, and final band Quick Shift.

Cash Bash Live will featuring three drawings and will be pre-recording their New Year’s Eve footage. Be part of the coolest Veterans Day event of the year and enjoy all the hyper local bands in the tri-state area. 4 p.m. to 11:45 p.m. 240-347-1477 or www.wiynn.com.

BEETHOVEN’S SYMPHONY NO. 7 The Maryland Theatre, 21 S. Potomac Street, Hagerstown

Experience the power and passion of the Maryland Symphony Orchestra as three masterworks from the Romantic era are brought to life on stage. The concert begins with Mendelssohn’s Melusine Overture, a hauntingly beautiful piece that tells the tale of a mythical creature. Next, the orchestra performs Farrenc’s Symphony No. 3, a lesser-known but captivating work that showcases the composer’s skillful use of counterpoint and chromatic harmonies. The evening culminates with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7, a beloved masterpiece that is sure to leave you spellbound. Saturday 7:30 p.m. and Sunday 3 p.m.

301-790-3500 or www.mdtheatre.org.

BEGINNINGS: A CELEBRATION OF THE MUSIC OF CHICAGO

The Maryland Theatre, 21 S. Potomac St., Hagerstown

The music of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Chicago spans more than five decades and includes five No. 1 albums and more than 20 top-10 hits. The band transports listeners back to a time of big arena concerts with all the sound, excitement, and emotion generated from Chicago’s extensive catalog of gold and platinum recordings. Expect family-friendly entertainment pleasing to music lovers of all ages. 7 p.m. 301-790-3500 or visit www.mdtheatre.org.

NOVEMBER 17 TO DECEMBER 17

THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME

Washington County Playhouse, 44 N. Potomac Street, Hagerstown

Based on the Victor Hugo novel and songs from the Disney animated feature, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” showcases the film’s Academy Award-nominated score, as well as new songs by Menken and Schwartz.

A sweeping score and powerful story make “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” an instant classic. Audiences will be swept away by the magic of this truly unforgettable musical.

Ticket price includes dinner and the show as well as coffee, tea, and iced tea. Bar tab and gratuity are not included. 301.739.7469 or www.washingtoncountyplayhouse.com.

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november to december DECEMBER 8

8th

CULTURE & COCKTAILS: GEORGE SWEARINGEN: HUSBAND, SHERIFF, MURDERER

Miller House Museum, 135 W. Washington St., Hagerstown

Did you know that one of Washington County’s earliest notorious murders was committed by a young sheriff of Hagerstown?

Learn all about it in this exciting true crime tale of murder most foul. Join WCHS curator and programs manager Abigail Koontz as she shares a true crime tale from 1828, when Hagerstown’s sheriff, George Swearingen, became a murderer. This month’s cocktail is the Bloody Poinsettia, a refreshing and sparkling (and dare we say bloody good) drink that is perfect for the holiday season. 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

301-797-8782 or www.washcohistory.org.

DECEMBER 16-17

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS 2023

The Maryland Theatre, 21 S. Potomac St., Hagerstown

An annual tradition that rings in the holidays,

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the Maryland Symphony Orchestra presents Home for the Holidays at the Maryland Theatre. With conductor Elizabeth Schulze and special guests, the Maryland Symphony Orchestra offers a magical, sing-along celebration of the season with a program featuring beloved traditional and popular music.

Saturday 7 p.m. Sunday 3 p.m. 301-790-3500 or visit www.mdtheatre.org.

DECEMBER 31

TOTALLY AWESOME 80S NEW YEAR’S EVE

Washington County Playhouse Dinner Theatre, 44 North Potomac St., Hagerstown

Ring in 2024 with this event that features a floor show, DJ, dance floor, salad, dinner, dessert, midnight champagne toast, and continental breakfast. A full cash bar will be available. Rock out to the sights and sounds of 1980s America at Hagerstown’s premiere New Year’s Eve Party. 8:30 p.m.to 1:30 a.m.

301-739-7469 or www.washingtoncountyplayhouse.com.

31st

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Holiday Calendar 2023 39th Annual Kris Kringle Holiday Craft Show November 18, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

November 19, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

HAGERSTOWN COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARCC BUILDING The holiday craft show features more than 200 craft vendors offering fabulous holiday decor, primitive items, country decor, unique holiday crafts, jewelry, baskets, floral, pottery, quilts, dolls, gourmet foods, candles, gifts, and more. There is an admission charge of $3 at the door. Parking is free.

17 Holly Fest November 17, 7 p.m.

MARYLAND THEATRE Holly Fest is an annual holiday themed event held at The Maryland Theatre. This event is free and open to the public and features youth performances from local musical groups and dance studios.

Handmade Hagerstown Holiday Market November 18, 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

SOUTH POTOMAC STREET

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The Handmade Hagerstown Holiday Market is an artisan market featuring local artists, creators, and makers. Celebrate the holiday season in Downtown Hagerstown.

Handmade Christmas in Shepherdstown

Tree Lighting Ceremony

November 18, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

WAR MEMORIAL BUILDING, SHEPHERDSTOWN You’re invited to shop local this holiday season with 30 local artisans. Admission is free and there will be door prizes and fun for all ages.

November 18, 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

PUBLIC SQUARE The Downtown Tree Lighting ceremony marks the beginning of the holiday season in Downtown Hagerstown as community members can enjoy a free performance from a local student band and witness the official lighting of Hagerstown’s tree.

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02

14

Holiday In Boonsboro

2023 Christmas Carriage Rides

December 2, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

DOWNTOWN BOONSBORO Many downtown businesses will host Open Houses and offer holiday specials.

08-09

December 14

DOWNTOWN WILLIAMSPORT Christmas Carriage Rides is back for the sixth year. Enjoy the Christmas light display in Byron Memorial Park on a horse-drawn carriage ride. After your ride, there will be hot cocoa, cookies, and light refreshments by the fire. Each carriage holds 10 people.

Christkindl Markt Hagerstown December 8, 3 p.m. to 8 .p.m.

December 9, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

UNIVERSITY PLAZA This two-day outdoor holiday shopping experience in downtown Hagerstown brings hundreds of shoppers to the heart of the city at the onset of the holiday season. In keeping with a tradition that began in the 12th century in Germany, Christkindl Markt Hagerstown features local artisans and vendors who sell wares, imported German goods, and local food, including German traditional goodies such as Gluehwein, a spicy, warm wine.

22 Holiday Night: Last Minute Shopping December 22, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

WASHINGTON COUNTY MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS Treat yourself to a relaxing moment amid the holiday hustle and bustle for extended museum hours. Enjoy the museum and the holiday atmosphere of City Park. Special discounts in the holiday store.

Holiday Pickle Fest 2023 December 9, 10 a.m.

WASHINGTON COUNTY AGRICULTURE EDUCATION CENTER Come and see the Great Pickle Christmas Tree and enjoy a fun holiday shopping and sampling event with a pickle theme. Dozens of local vendors will have gifts that include pickle-focused varieties. There will be insane pickle-inspired food and pickle-infused adult beverages.

There will be live music, special appearances, contests, and more.

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Move

A City on the

New public and private investment is changing the face of Hagerstown. Is this the revitalization the city has been waiting for?

by crystal schelle

s a native of Hagerstown, Mayor Tekesha Martinez has seen the ebbs and flows of the economic development of Hub City.

“I grew up going downtown with grandfather,” remembers the 45-year-old. “Downtown was where you’d go to get pizza. I would go to McCroy’s to get my school supplies.

I remember not only Revco (Pharmacy) but the Snow White Grill, and those types of things were part of my childhood.”

Downtown Hagerstown of the ‘80s and ‘90s, saw retail businesses close and their spaces filled by government offices. Restaurants came and went. Like

A

The new downtown Hagerstown ballpark at East Washington Street and Summit Avenue.

many downtowns across the United States, Hagerstown struggled.

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Martinez, who was elected to the Hagerstown City Council in 2020, and then named mayor in 2023, has a front-row seat to the town she’s known so well as it grows and expands.

“This has not been a four- or three-year project,” she says. “This has been a strategic plan to bring Main Street back, and all these things back to downtown. It feels amazing.”

Hagerstown and Washington County officials had the foresight to plan for the future. Jill Thompson, director of Hagerstown’s Department of Community and Economic Development, says planning for Downtown Hagerstown redevelopment and establishing the Community City Center Plan started in 2014.

“There is momentum in implementing that plan as well as momentum in investor confidence,” she says.

And, Thompson says, even before the 2014 plan, downtown

projects such as the University System of Maryland at Hagerstown and the rebuilt Washington County Free Library were investments in Downtown Hagerstown. Maryland’s commitment at the state level, she says, started the momentum with funding for projects like The Maryland Theatre, the Barbara Ingram School for the Arts, and the Hagerstown Cultural Trail, and, now, the Downtown Hagerstown MultiUse and Sports Facility, or as most people would call it, a baseball park.

“And that’s part of what is causing private developers to also want to invest in downtown,” Thompson says.

The state has invested $90 million in the downtown baseball stadium at the corner of Summit Avenue and West Baltimore Street. It will be the home of the Hagerstown Flying The iconic mural in downtown Hagerstown overlooks the site of the new ballpark.

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Boxcars, a new professional team in the Atlantic League. The 3,900-seat facility is owned and operated

by Hagerstown-Washington County Industrial Foundation, and the Boxcars are expected to take the field in spring 2024. It’s a project of Maryland Stadium Authority and Downtown Baseball LLC. “I think it’s important to note that the stadium is being paid for through state funding and private ownership of the Atlantic League Flying Boxcars team and that that stadium project is not being funded with any city taxpayers’ dollars,” Thompson says.

The economic boom of the stadium can easily be seen by the supporting businesses popping up around the site, including more restaurants and boutique retail shops.

“We’re thrilled to have that project located in the core of our downtown,” Thompson says. “The economic impact of stadium projects is proven in other communities, and it attracts restaurants and retail,” she says. “It also attracts people who want to

live in a vibrant downtown. So, we’re seeing growth in an upper-floor housing development that is happening. That can be attributed to that project as well as other major investments that had been happening to create a very vibrant downtown.”

Thompson says other projects such as the Hagerstown Field House on the former Municipal Stadium site off East Memorial Boulevard, will have a much bigger impact than people realize. The 114,00-squarefoot sports facility with two turf fields and hardcourt space is expected to be completed by fall 2024. The city has invested $24.7 million into the project, which is a public-private partnership with Eastern Sports Management. The city will own the field house but have a lease agreement with Eastern Sports.

“The other economic impact of the Hagerstown Field House is that tournaments that are currently going to other cities will be recruited and be attracted to hold their tournaments at this facility,” The two million-square-foot Curwood building under construction.

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Thompson says. “We will see overnight stays in our hotel hotels and visitors who will be using amenities and services in the City of Hagerstown, including dining and hospitality.”

Another large project is the Hub City Garage at 50 West Antietam Street, which will be downtown’s third parking deck. It will feature 397 spaces on five levels, conveniently serving the baseball fans of the new stadium. The city will operate the parking deck that saw a $13 million investment from the city’s coffers.

“Those projects have a significant impact in that without that public investment, private investments happen in the surrounding areas,” Thompson says.

“And [these projects are] what creates increased property values and increased property tax revenue to the city.”

Brittany Arizmendi, came aboard the City of Hagerstown a year ago as the community engagement officer after previously working for the county for four years. Arizmendi led rebranding efforts to lead the city to its known identity of Downtown Hagerstown, including a #DowntownHagerstown campaign.

Arizmendi said when she came aboard, the stadium project and the field house were already in discussion, as was the Hub City Brewing in the former Farmer’s Market building at 25 West Church Street. Projects like these would bring more restaurants and more boutique retail space downtown.

Arizmendi’s job is to get people to come downtown, and she says projects like the stadium will put feet on the streets.

“It will help change the perception, and what I consider an inaccurate perception, of downtown,” she says. “It will get people from our more suburban areas coming down here and having good experiences and restaurants on the streets all across the board.”

Paving the entrance road to the Curwood building as construction nears completion.

Getting more people downtown might mean more people invested in the city. In 2023, 74 events were held downtown, and those were just events that were city-hosted or city-sponsored, according to Arizmendi.

“To have a vibrant downtown, you have to have people who live down here and can walk to restaurants, the shops, and invite their friends to come downtown with them who may not live in (downtown Hagerstown) but are maybe 10 minutes away,” Arizmendi says. She adds that with all these construction projects currently underway, Hagerstown is on its way to being that “vibrant downtown,” which will bring change.

“I think within the next year, what downtown looks like will be completely different,” she says. “I think we are starting to see a change, but I’m not sure we’re quite there yet.”

Projects that ever-so-slightly skirt Hagerstown city limits, like the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine off Robinwood Drive east of Hagerstown, are also contributing to changing the complexion of the area.

The 200,000-square-foot state-of-the-art medical school will welcome its first full class of 90 students

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in the fall of 2025. Eventually, the school hopes to have 720 students. Because of its proximity, the medical school should have a large impact on Hagerstown itself.

Thompson says the medical school will give Hagerstown “an opportunity to be able to attract the medical and health sci-

ences field. And I think, downtown and even outside of downtown, the growth in the medical and health sciences field will be one we will work to foster.”

Jonathan Horowitz, director for Washington County’s Department of Business Development, said the medical school is “by far a landscape game-changing community-changing project.”

The new medical school would mark the only fourth such school in the state, while nearby West Virginia only has two medical schools throughout the state.

“While Maryland graduates some of the world’s best doctors, we also graduate the fewest,” Horowitz says.

An economic impact study shows the proposed Meritus school could eventually bring 1,595 jobs to Hagerstown and create an estimated tax revenue of $6.2 million. When the school is fully up and Two images of construction of the new Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine as work progresses.

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running it will add more than $120 million a year to Maryland’s gross domestic product.

“We know that health, education, and the economy are all connected. Improving the economy of our region also enhances the health and wellness of our neighbors,” says Dr. Maulik Joshi, Meritus president and CEO. “We are thrilled to have a project that will improve and enhance so many important factors related to the quality of life in Washington County.”

And, says Horowitz, having a medical school “where you would have not anticipated (one) to be, is such a massive change for here.” “It will draw a different type of inhabitant to this community in general.”

Hitachi Rail is building a $70 million train factory and 800-yard test track on a 41-acre site on Greencastle Pike west of Hagerstown. The factory will build new rail cars for the Washington, D.C., Metro system. Operations are expected to begin this winter.

The facility is estimated to bring 430 jobs.

“Hitachi Rail obviously is a massive indicator of the strength of our community,” Horowitz says. “I think more along the lines of indications is what that name brand would bring. That goes to show you that all of the assets of this community can provide, and that means land cost, workforce, utility prices, incentives, all those things go together to attract somebody like that here.”

Horowitz says it will also have an economic impact on Hagerstown because the company has left room to expand.

“Manufacturing is our bread and butter here,” he says. “We would prefer to see that. It has betterpaying jobs and a little bit more longevity, in our opinions.”

But one aspect that has people talking is the warehouses in Hagerstown and throughout the county.

“The warehouse development that you see in Washington County, is, quite frankly, 20 years of development,” Horowitz says. “It was on our 20-year comprehensive plan, and we zoned the land and highway interchange for those types of development.

We didn’t zone it for COVID e-commerce focus. We did not think that almost all of the land would be purchased and developed in a three-year span.”

Horowitz says what his department does is work mostly to diversify the industries.

“So even though a lot of these big buildings were built, and they look like warehouses, what we’re trying to do is diversify the clients that take leases on these buildings,” he says.

In early October, Conair, best known for hair dryers, curling irons, and kitchen appliances, plans to lease a 2.1-million-square foot, soon-to-be-constructed facility at 10440 Downsville Pike and 17250 Sterling Road. The site will be a distribution center.

The warehouse will become the largest in Maryland and the largest in the nation for small appliances. The new facility will create 700 full-time jobs over the next 10 years.

As for Hagerstown’s future, Thompson sees it as a place where economic growth can flourish.

“I hope someday in the future, downtown condominiums will make downtown a 24-hour downtown,” she says, “so it is no longer just a commercial district with your daytime users and your evening users, but you’d have people living downtown who make it a full neighborhood commercial district that really has activity 24 hours a day.”

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Beginning A NEW

A war-torn Ukrainian family finds hope and kindness in Hagerstown

BY JENNIFER MELLACE

“L

ife in the Ukraine was very disturbing—sirens sound every day and this means that missiles and suicide bombers are flying somewhere over the city,” says 76-year-old Svitlana Rochniak. “You don’t know where they will fly. Rockets flew into our city, suicide bombers came into the park next to our house. The facility in the factory where my brother works was bombed, and the research institute where my mom worked was bombed.”

Living just 25 miles from the Russian border in Shostka, Rochniak and her 77-year-old, physically disabled husband, Anatolii, were in the war zone on February 24, 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine in an escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War that began in 2014.

“My husband is very sick. He had his first stroke after the beginning of the war in 2014, and in 2022 it became full-scale,” she says. “He became very anxious.

Most of the missile arrivals were early in the morning. The news is mostly about the war. It’s all tiring to live in constant anxiety.”

The Rochniaks lived in a state of war and stress until this past April when Uniting for Ukraine and their sponsor Diane Brockington, the wife of former Green Bay Packer John Brockington, helped bring them to the United States. Today, the couple is living in Homewood at Williamsport.

The Need to Help

The Rochniaks journey began a year ago when Jake Palczewski, a 17-year-old Smithsburg High School senior and member of Tri-State Fellowship Church in Hagerstown, traveled to Ukraine to help in a refugee camp. After 55 days, he returned home and shared stories of families who needed help, including the Semenova family—Hanna (the daughter of the Rochniaks), her husband, and their three children, ages 15, 12, and 7.

At the time, Dawn Nelson and her husband, also members of Tri-State Fellowship, knew they wanted to help, and made the decision to sponsor the Seme-

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novas through the Uniting for Ukraine program.

“We walked into this with blind faith, but together, with the church, we agreed that we needed to do this,” Nelson recalls. “We would need to financially sponsor Hanna and her family for two years while helping them get established. But before we could bring them over, we needed to find a place for them to stay.”

The search began, but finding a rental property was costly. Fortunately, Nelson and her husband had a camper that slept eight, and they agreed that this would work in the short-term so that they could at least get the family out of the Ukraine.

“We were able to secure a campground site at the Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park in Williamsport for two weeks while we continued to find a more permanent

place.” Thankfully, before the Semenovas even arrived, a home became available through another member of the church.

“For us, living in the USA was a dream,” says Semenova. “But we didn’t think that we would come here because of the war that our neighbors started.

America is a blessed country, and we so appreciate that it opens its doors to people in such situations.”

The Journey Out

Semenova knew that things were only getting worse at home in Ukraine, and she worried for her parents.

“One day Hanna took a call from her mother saying the town was being bombed,” said Nelson.

“Hanna asked, could the church sponsor her parents?

Her father was physically handicapped from a stroke,

Anatolii and Svitlana Rochniak escaped their war-torn hometown of Shostka and found saftey at Homewood in Hagerstown.

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and they were stuck in the middle of the war zone.”

Months went by. During bible study one evening, Nelson and other church members prayed for a way to get the Rochniaks out and sponsor them. Soon after, a call came telling them about a ministry, led by Joni Eareckson Tada, that will bring disabled people out of the Ukraine. “But we still needed a sponsor and a place for them to live,” said Nelson.

That’s when Diane Brockington and the John Brockington Foundation stepped in and offered to sponsor the couple, and Melissa Hadley, executive director of Homewood at Williamsport, spoke with the CEO and Homewood agreed to help with housing.

“When Dawn reached out to me, she was so passionate,” recalls Hadley. “Hearing what the Rochniaks had been through, I knew we had vacancy and knew we should do this. Part of our mission at Homewood is to reach out to others, particularly seniors. It just seemed like the right thing to do.”

The wheels were in motion, but the biggest challenge was getting Anatolii Rochniak, who was

Anatolii and Svitlana Rochniak and their daughter Hanna Semenova.

confined to a wheelchair, out of the war-torn country. The Rochniaks lived 25 miles from the Russian border and getting them to safety would require two lengthy train rides.

“We had no idea how we could make this happen,” said Nelson.

But help was still pouring in. Retired marine Aaron Palczewski—Jake’s father—offered to travel with an interpreter to help get the Rochniaks safely to America. With help from contacts at the refugee camp where Jake volunteered, they were able to find places to stay, and they fled just in the nick of time.

“They boarded the train with the Rochniaks as the town was being bombed,” said Nelson. “Aaron physically lifted Anatolii in and out of places and stayed with them through the entire trip.”

Svitlana Rochniak recalled the feelings she and her husband had as they were leaving their home.

“When we left from Ukraine, we were worried.

This was the first flight in our lives. But thanks to our friend from Tri-State Fellowship, Dawn Nelson,

Retired marine Aaron Palczewski traveled with an interpreter to help get the Rochniaks safely to America.

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she planned all the trip. Aaron flew from the USA to help us get out of the Ukraine. This was not an easy journey.”

A New Beginning

A year after saying goodbye to their daughter and grandchildren, the Rochniaks were safely in America and reunited with their family.

“We were glad that we would be in a safe place and would be able to see our children and grandchildren again a year later in a place where there is no war; where there is peace,” said Rochniak.

Homewood at Williamsport enables the Rochniaks to have an independent living situation while offering Anatolii Rochniak occupational and speech therapy.

“In the Ukraine the medical field wasn’t able to help 10 years ago, so Anatolii had no physical therapy. He lost so much,” said Nelson.

Back home, the Rochniaks lived in a second-floor apartment without an elevator. So, leaving for walks or to get fresh air wasn’t an option for the couple.

“We are so appreciative of Homewood who gave us the opportunity to live here,” said Svitlana Rochniak.

“My husband can go out for a walk any time. We have met a lot of kind, polite people who are ready to help at any moment. We left Ukraine with two bags. People here have helped us buy furniture for the apartment and donated many things we needed.”

Hadley recalls the first time she saw the Rochniaks on their back deck and how grateful they were.

“Seeing them on their deck when they hadn’t been able to go outside for who knows how long was truly humbling. Anatolii had tears running down his face.

It puts things in perspective and makes us think of all the things we take for granted. They were so appreciative for the things we were able to give them.”

Svitlana Rochniak and her daughter Hanna Semenova.

The couple’s joy and gratitude for having a safe place to call home resonates throughout the Homewood community. “Melissa shared that the Rochniaks arrival was good for the residents and staff after Covid,” said Nelson. “The community has rallied and helped them feel at home. Their apartment is furnished by staff and residents and, together with the Brockington Foundation, money was raised to buy Anatolii a lift chair.”

The day the couple arrived, Homewood had decorated with Ukraine banners, balloons, and welcome signs in Ukrainian, and every apartment in the unit had a Ukrainian flag over the door.

“Being in America means being safe next to our family and grandchildren,” says Svitlana Rochniak.

“America is a blessed country. We have never received so much care and kindness in our lives. We give so much thanks to Tristate Fellowship Church and Diane Brockington and everyone for all the help they gave us.”

What is Uniting for Ukraine?

The Uniting for Ukraine program provides a pathway for Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members who are outside the United States to come to the U.S. and stay temporarily for a two-year period.

Ukrainians participating in the program must have a supporter in the United States who agrees to provide them with financial support for the duration of their stay. For more information, visit www.dhs.gov/ukraine.

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General Warfield’s Coffee marches into the marketplace

I

n January 2020, John and Onome Warfield took a trip to Mauritius. Besides its picturesque beaches and breathtaking landscapes, one of the things the couple remembered most about the visit was the coffee.

The aroma. The taste. The caffeine. It was delicious.

The couple, who are heavy coffee drinkers, had never had a cup like it. The memory became a catalyst to launch a business to provide others with the

same unforgettable experience.

General Warfield’s Coffee was created over two years of video chats as the couple were separated during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. John in the United States and Onome in Nigeria due to visa issues. Once they were reunited last year, the Hagerstown couple officially launched the coffee company in August 2022.

The region is known for its extensive Civil War history but many may not know the role coffee played. The beloved beverage helped fuel many soldiers through battles, troop movements, low morale and guard duty.

In a nod to the region’s ties to the Civil War and coffee, the couple named their company after both — General Warfield’s Coffee. “A general is bold, distinguished, classy,” John Warfield says. “We wanted to model our company after that. There is a lot of history here and if you dig deep enough — coffee is a big part of it.”

Each bag features responsibly sourced beans and passionately crafted roasts featuring lush speciality-grade 100% Arabica coffee grown by small family-owned farms across the world including Colombia, Peru, Brazil and Guatemala. Grown at high altitudes (between 3,280 to 6,000+ feet above sea level) to increase the healthy compounds and anti-oxidants, the beans are hand-picked and are gluten-free, keto and vegan friendly.

With a passion for sustainable practices, the company makes a donation to plant a tree for every order purchased.

For more information, go to GeneralWarfieldsCoffee.com.

General Warfield’s Coffee 20140 Scholar Drive, Hagerstown, MD 21742 (602) 718-5478 • GeneralWarfieldsCoffee.com

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

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The Flying Boxcars will take the field next spring in a different type of professional baseball

By Jeff Thoreson

The new look of professional baseball in Hagerstown extends beyond a new name, new uniforms, and a new stadium. The league the Flying Boxcars will play in when they take the field in the spring of 2024 is different from the Minor League Baseball system that the Hagerstown Suns played in from 1981 to 2020.

During those three decades the Suns played in two different classifications, three different leagues, and were affiliated with five different Major League teams.

The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball is an MLB Partner League, but none of its 10 teams are affiliated with a specific Major League team.

Instead, players in the Atlantic

League are scouted by all teams and are free to sign with any. Typically, players signed from an Atlantic League team start higher up in a Major League team’s farm system or even at the Major League level. Many players have Major League experience and are working their way back to the big leagues.

The league, which began play in

North Division

Lancaster Barnstormers Long Island Ducks Southern Maryland Blue Crabs Staten Island Ferry Hawks York Revolution

South Division

Charleston Dirty Birds Gastonia Honey Hunters Hagerstown Flying Boxcars High Point Rockers Lexington Counter Clocks 35

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PHOTO CREDIT: BILL KAMENJAR

This will be the view from behind home plate showing the Hagerstown skyline in the background.

1998, has a history of attracting top talent. Hall of Fame players Tim Raines and Rickey Henderson have spent time in the Atlantic League, as have players like Daniel Murphy, Jose Canseco, Roger Clemens, Mat Latos, and Steve Lombardozzi Jr. More than 40 percent of Atlantic League players have spent time in the Major Leagues.

“What you’re going to see in the Atlantic League is a lot of Major League players who want to return the Major Leagues,” says league chairman and founder Frank Boulton, who also owns the Long Island Ducks. “It will be Triple A ball or better. There was a time this year when every Long Island Ducks player on the field had major league experience.”

The Atlantic League is generally regarded as the highest level of baseball among the four independent leagues. More than 1,200 players who have come through the league in its 25 years have signed contracts with Major League organizations.

“The Atlantic League is one of the first calls an agent makes when a player gets released at the Major League level," says Boulton.

The Flying Boxcars will spend their first few weeks of the 2024 season on the road next spring but hope to take the field at the new Hagerstown Multi-Use Sports and Events Facility downtown in May. The stadium is another aspect of the Atlantic League that stands out.

All teams are required to play in a stadium at or above the Triple-A level. So, if you follow the team on the road, expect nice ballparks.

The new downtown ballpark at the corner of West Baltimore Street and Summit Avenue will be a stateof-the-art stadium that seats more than 3,000 for baseball and has the flexibility to host other events.

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Boulton, a part-owner of the Boxcars, was convinced by his Hagerstown partners Howard “Blackie” Bowen, Don Bowman, and James Holzapfel that the downtown location would be key to the Boxcars success. Boulton says he looked at several sites outside of town that would have been much easier to develop.

“My partners said, ‘No, no, no. We need to build in downtown.’ That was paramount,” Boulton says.

“I got involved in the baseball project to create economic

development for Hagerstown,” Bowen says.

The partners all agree the new downtown park will be a big economic engine for Hagerstown.

Construction continues to progress, and Boulton says the majority of the outside should be done by the time cold weather sets in. When finished, the Flying Boxcars and their fans will have a spanking-new, comfortable stadium to once again watch professional baseball in.

The Hagerstown Suns, which played at the nowrazed Municipal Stadium, got caught up in Major League Baseball’s minor league realignment in 2020, and the city has been without professional baseball for three years, even though the Hub City’s relationship with professional baseball goes back almost to the beginning of baseball.

The team name pays tribute to Fairchild Aircraft’s production of C-82 and C-119 cargo planes at the Hagerstown Regional Airport between 1949 and 1955. The fuselage of the plane was said to be as big as a train boxcar. The Fairchild planes were used as military transport planes for both cargo and troops.

Since the Atlantic League’s inception more than 45 million fans have attended games. The league prides itself as being affordable family entertainment.

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daytripper

City of Hagerstown, MD

Downtown Hagerstown Main Street

CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS IN HAGERSTOWN EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON IN DOWNTOWN HAGERSTOWN! The second annual Holidays in Hagerstown weekend begins the evening of Friday, November 17 and commences with the Downtown Tree Lighting the evening of Saturday, November 18. This two-day holiday celebration is hosted by Downtown Hagerstown Main Street program and the Arts and Entertainment District, in partnership with local sponsors and community organizations. Experience the oneof-a-kind holiday charm of downtown Hagerstown from the spirited holiday decorations to the activities for all ages!

This year, the Holidays in Hagerstown weekend offers FOUR free and fun events for the whole family.

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HOLLY FEST – NOV. 17 Kick off the celebration at the historic Maryland Theatre with Holly Fest, an annual holiday performance showcasing local talented youth performers. Before you settle in for a fantastic performance, stop by the lobby of The Maryland Theatre to snap a unique family Christmas card photo with Hagerstown’s very own Grouchy Green Neighbor. It’s sure to be an evening full of holiday fun that you won’t want to miss!

HOLIDAY MARKET & DOWNTOWN TREE LIGHTING – NOV. 18 Join us on Saturday, November 18 for a full day of festivities on South Potomac Street!

Get a head start on your holiday shopping at the Handmade Hagerstown Holiday Market, where you’ll find local handmade and vintage items ranging from art, jewelry, décor, food, and more. There’s entertainment for the whole family – you’ll find a bounce house for kids and activities for all ages conveniently located next to the artisan market!

Once you’ve browsed the holiday market, join us in Public Square for the annual Downtown Tree Lighting Ceremony. Enjoy hot chocolate, live music, and a special visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus as the official lighting of the holiday tree illuminates downtown Hagerstown with holiday spirit.

Throughout the day, enjoy a walk through the downtown area and take in the holiday decorations displayed in business storefronts! During the holiday season, downtown businesses participate in a friendly competition to create the most

imaginative holiday display. This festive fun is made possible by the City of Hagerstown’s Holiday Cheer grant, which provides funds to downtown businesses who decorate their spaces and spread the spirit of the season.

Stroll down Potomac Street and West Washington Street in the city center to view the holiday decorations.

CITY PARK TREE LIGHTING – DEC. 1 The festivities don’t end with Holidays in Hagerstown – join us December 1st at the official lighting of the holiday lights in Hagerstown City Park. Enjoy family-friendly activities throughout City Park from 5:008:00 p.m. and gather at City Park Lake at 7:00 p.m. for the official lighting ceremony.

Can’t make it to the official ceremony? Stop

by Hagerstown City Park any evening in December to enjoy the spectacular lights display and accompanying radio music show.

CHRISTKINDL MARKT – DEC. 8 & 9 As the holiday season continues, join us for an authentic German shopping experience at the Hagerstown Christkindl Markt from December 8th – December 9th in University Plaza. This annual two-day shopping experience in the heart of downtown serves as an homage to the area’s strong German heritage, offering local artisan holiday crafts and decor, imported German goods, and traditional German food and drink.

All downtown events are easily accessible from the University District Parking Deck and Arts & Entertainment Parking deck. Street parking in the downtown area is FREE after 5:00 p.m. on weekdays and all day on weekends.

For more information on Downtown Hagerstown events, visit us at downtownhagerstown.org or contact events@hagerstownmd.org.

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WACO PLACES

Lockhouse 49 was once part of a vibrant C&O Canal community. Now it welcomes overnight guests.

Unusual Nights Out

By Jennifer Mellace

W

inter offers us a chance to spend evenings by a cozy fire or curled up on the couch watching a good Netflix series. Of course, when the days get longer and the nights colder, cabin fever can sometimes set in and those quiet evenings at home become mundane.

Try something different in Washington County for a quick getaway

OLDEN SLUMBERS: LOCKHOUSE 49 The silence of dusk on the C&O Canal isn’t really silence at all. It’s just that there’s no din of rush-hour traffic or no clamor of getting dinner on the table.

So, the ambient noise of daylight fading is birds singing their way back to their nests, cricket chirping, and bullfrogs in their full-throated baritone resonance.

If you’ve ever hiked or biked along the canal, you know the peacefulness that comes with it. But what you might not know is that many of the lockhouses you pass are available to overnight stays, including Lockhouse 49 at towpath mile 108.7 near Clear Springs, Maryland.

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This unique getaway is part of the Canal Quarters program established by the C&O Canal Trust for guests to experience what life in a lockhouse might have been like during the heyday of the canal. The canal necessitated four locks being built within 1,530 feet of each other, which created a small community in which families, merchants, and people of all classes came together to build a neighborhood.

Lockhouse 49 was part of the Four Locks neighborhood and now offers guests a look back in time. In its heyday, Four Locks boasted two stores, two warehouses, a dry dock for boat repair, a school, a post office, plus a dozen houses.

The lockhouse sleeps eight in two bedrooms with two twin beds and two trundles each. Furnished in the 1920s style, the home offers a stove, electric baseboard heat, a nearby outdoor toilet, and a water pump that is available year-round. While the indoor fireplaces are not functional, outside there is a fire ring and picnic table.

The lockhouses in the Canal Quarters program offer an alternative to the park’s hiker-biker campgrounds by allowing visitors to experience the history of the canal in a more meaningful way.

“The C&O Canal can be a magical place during the winter,” says Aidan Barnes, director of programs and partnerships. “Staying in a lockhouse during

the winter allows guests to witness the subtle activities of wildlife, the sun and shadows, and the night sky that are missed by those who go home before dark. If there’s enough snow, the towpath can be a fantastic place to go snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, or even have a snowball fight.”

WHERE THE TRAILS CROSS: A HOMEY HOSTEL At the crossing of the area’s two most significant long-distance trails, hikers can make an overnight pitstop (or can linger longer) on a cliff high above the trails with a panoramic view of the Potomac River and Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia.

This isn’t luxury accommodations, but the Cross Trails Hostel is a unique way to spend a night or two, whether you’re a thru-hiker on the Appalachian Trail, moseying along the C&O Canal, or local who just wants to spend time in a tranquil setting.

Set on four and half acres in Knoxville, this rustic-yet-cozy hostel includes 30 beds (two are queen-sized) and sleeps 32 people. The shelter opened in June of 2021 under the ownership of Potomac Area Hostels Inc., a nonprofit organization, but the property has operated as a youth hostel since the early 1970s and has accommodated thousands of travelers, hikers, and cyclists from around the world.

The Cross Trail Hostel near Knoxville welcomes travelers along the C&O Canal and the Appalachian Trail with rooms or tents.

“We pride ourselves on offering comfortable accommodations with a rustic, homey atmosphere,” says Brandt Kindness, an outdoor enthusiast who has managed Cross Trails Hostel since 2021. A certified raft guide and an Appalachian Trail and Pacific Crest Trail thru-hiker, Kindness has logged 4,000plus miles on U.S. trails, so he is wellequipped to offer suggestions for those looking for an outdoor adventure.

Located near Harpers Ferry, the hostel sits atop a cliff near where the Appalachian Trail and the C&O Canal cross.

At that point, the C&O Canal is also carrying the cross-country American Discovery Trail, and the eastern regional Potomac Heritage Trail, both of which diverge at the end of the C&O Canal.

As well as being the cross-point for hiking and biking, the hostel is close to shopping, dining, wineries, breweries, and plenty of outdoor activities. But for those who just want to lay low, the grounds offer sweeping views of the surrounding landscape.

“We have great views of the Potomac River, as well as the states of Virginia and West Virginia,” says Kindness. “In the cooler months, the leaves unveil their curtain, and you can see

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the entire valley that surrounds us.”

While the hostel closes December 15 through March 1, owners will open for private groups during that time.

LIVING IN THE LIMBS: A TREEHOUSE CAMP As kids, we all want to have a treehouse.

As adults, we realize it’s a lot less work to just rent someone else’s treehouse. In Washington County, that’s possible.

The Treehouse Camp at Maple Tree Campground offers charming lodgings, including the Dragonfly Fairy House, the Firefly Deluxe Tree House, or the one-of-a-kind Hobbit House. While located close to home, in Rohrersville, these dwellings offer that magical experience you always wanted as a kid—or transport you to wherever your imagination takes you.

Maple Tree Campground was founded in 1971 and remains in the family today. Owner Louise Soroko took what her mother created and continues to offer customers rustic camping options, including tent camping, older rustic treehouses, and the three newer specialty dwellings. The campground’s facilities include indoor bathrooms, private outSpend a night among the trees at the Tree House Camp at Maplewood Campground.

door hot showers, indoor heated winter showers, and a multi-use pavilion.

Located on 20 acres at the top of South Mountain, the campsite is just a half mile from the Appalachian Trail.

“Every season is very different, but winter camping is really quite good for rest,” says Soroko. “People come and have a fire and read, cook, and just relax. You can still hike, but it’s a nice time to just escape and be cozy. Our location on top of the mountain also offers wonderful 46

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Pets are an Important Part of Our Families!

GIVE THEM THE BEST POSSIBLE CARE

BY VISITING ANY OF THE PRODUCT AND SERVICE PROVIDERS SHOWN HERE.

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Cabins at Jellystone Park will keep your food safe from prowling Yogi.

FIND OUT MORE: Cross Trails Hostel 19123 Sandy Hook Road Knoxville, MD 21758 443-221-8382 www.xtrailshostel.org C&O Canal Quarters Lockhouse 49 Towpath Mile: 108.7 Clear Spring, MD 21722 www.canaltrust.org Treehouse Camp at Maple Tree Campground 20716 Townsend Road Rohrersville, Maryland 21779 301-432-5585 www.thetreehousecamp.com Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Camp Resort 9550 Jellystone Park Way Williamsport, MD 21795 301-223-7177 www.jellystonemaryland.com

sunset views in the winter.”

Nine of the structures come with wood stoves, including The Hobbit House that gets plenty of natural light, has a mural of an enchanted forest, and a unique hand-made harvest table that can seat eight people. The other specialty homes offer stained glass windows and additional unique touches.

“Nature works wonders for people, and these houses are just an extension of that,” says Louise.

BEARS, BUNGALOWS, BOO-BOO (AND YOGI) If you don’t mind a smarter-than-average bear in search of pic-a-nic baskets roaming around with your kids, the family-friendly offerings of Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Camp Resort in Williamsport offer something different. There’s tent camping or spots for RVers, but if unique is what you’re looking for, grab one of the 18 cabins available to rent.

With names like Boo Boo Bungalow and Bear-Themed Cottage, some

of the cabins are more luxurious, with full bathrooms, kitchens, screened-in porches, and hot tubs. Others, like the Camping Cabin, are perfect for those who want a rustic camping experience without getting too outdoorsy.

No matter what camping experience you choose, the park has tons to offer visitors, including a huge water zone with slides, pools and a pirate ship, an 18-hole mini golf course, laser tag, a ninja course, sports courts and other seasonal offerings. Families can add an educational element to their days at Jellystone as the camping resort is near the Antietam National Battlefield and Harper’s Ferry. The Appalachian Trail and C&O Canal are nearby, and there are adult activities like wineries, breweries, and tons of restaurants to explore Just make sure to keep your food safely tucked away. Ranger Smith is around, but as usual, he has trouble keeping up with Yogi.

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Fostering Love

S

ome consider adoption a calling and want to expand their family, while others aim to give back to their community and help children in need of temporary care. However one leads with their heart, becoming a foster or adoptive parent is a meaningful way to welcome a child into a caring family.

November is National Adoption Month, and the Washington County Department of Social Services encourages stable and caring adults to consider opening their hearts and homes to a child right here in Washington County who needs a safe, loving home.

On average, there are 120 Washington County children and teens in foster care. The Washington County Department of Social Services strives to keep kids living in supportive homes in local communities, because research shows children in foster care have better outcomes when they are placed near where they live and continue in the same school.

The children come from families that cannot safely remain together due to a variety of challenges. The Department of Social Services provides thorough training and abundant resources so foster parents always feel supported. Trauma can go hand-in-hand with the removal process and the agency provides trauma-informed care for the child and foster parents alike.

The agency also strives to reunite children with their families when it is safe to do so. When that option is not possible, Social Services staff first reach out to relatives, family, friends, and kinship support. When youth need a safe and stable adult in their lives, staff look to foster/adoptive families to provide love and support. Some stays are brief until they can return home, while others have a longer journey that ends in adoption.

One Washington County foster family says “We have been blessed as a family and feel divinely led to give children in need a loving and supportive home. There is no greater joy than to be able to provide love and support to a child and to help them to achieve their full potential in life. We always tell others that we have eight children and three are adopted but we forgot which ones.”

Another family noted “Our family took in a young lady who was 17 and she blessed our lives immeasurably! Just when we thought we were helping her, it turned out the joy was ours.”

To become a foster/adoptive parent, an individual must be over the age of 21, pass a criminal and child welfare background clearance, demonstrate proof of secure income and a stable home environment, successfully complete the training and home study process, and become licensed.

By becoming an adoptive resource through Washington County Department of Social Services, there are a number of benefits, including formal and ongoing training, a financial stipend that may continue even after the youth is adopted, a team of trauma-informed social workers to support families throughout the process, ongoing support groups with other adoptive families, appreciation events, and more.

Taking the first step can be hard. Contact the Washington County Fostering Love team today to learn about the many ways you can help a child in need, including fostering a youth, renting a room to an older youth, providing respite for other foster parents, and other options.

Email foster.love@maryland.gov or call 240-420-2189 for more information.

The Washington County Department of Social Services commends and celebrates all our foster/adoptive families for the unconditional love, patience, and support they provide on a daily basis to children in need. The commitment foster and adoptive families give to their community, youth, and their families is incredible. Thank you to all of those in Washington County who have given a youth the commitment of a forever home and the stability they deserve.

From babies to young adults, youth of all ages deserve a safe place to call home, and we welcome those who understand the importance of Fostering Love of a child at any age.

Reach out to start your journey today!

Washington County Department of Social Services 122 N Potomac Street, Hagerstown, MD 21740 (240) 420-2100 • dhs.maryland.gov/local-offices/washington-county/

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

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DINING

The Grille at Runways is part of the Rider Jet Center and the Richard A. Henson Field.

Dinner and an Air Show

By April Bartel

The Grille at Runways blends good food with views to fly for

A

irline food may be fodder for comedians, but The Grille at Runways is no joke. This destination restaurant boasts first-class fare and some of the best views around for aviation enthusiasts.

The eatery is part of the Rider Jet Center, led by owner and operator Ben Rider, on the grounds of the Hagerstown Regional Airport. Also known as Richard A. Henson Field, the public airport has its own long and storied history.

Travelers trekking to and from tourist hotspots in Florida or South Carolina may recognize it for its commercial service by Allegiant Air, but locals know

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there is much more to the place. There’s even a dedicated museum on site and plenty of annual events.

The Grille is part of a hub that houses more than 150 general aviation aircraft and 20 aviation-related businesses, including its neighbor and sister company, Rider Jet Center. The restaurant was added as part of a $6 million expansion in 2014 that took the center from 3,000 square feet up to a modern two-story facility with about 25,000 square feet.

It has parking for planes and cars, a cozy lounge area, Wi-Fi, and a petite gift shop, proffering plenty of collectibles and plane-themed casual wear. Overhead is a full-sized, fire engine-red biplane and a photo tribute to Dave Rider, Ben’s father and business cofounder, a well-known local entrepreneur and philanthropist who passed away in 2019. As a fixed base operator, the center provides a host of services for pilots, passengers, and airlines, including fuel, weather monitoring, hangar space, and its fullservice restaurant. Fans of Runways have been known to fly their private planes in just for dinner.

Heather Heiser is the general manager for the restaurant. She joined the crew in 2019 and stepped up to leadership in 2022. She is no stranger to the restaurant business, starting as a busser at just 14 years old. She says the environment makes the place a standout, both literally and figuratively.

“My ‘office’ has an incredible view of the runway and the mountains, and I get to watch planes land and take off all day,” she says. “It is the unique atmosphere which adds to the charm of the restaurant.”

She says the close-knit staff always strives to give guests the best experience possible. “Much of my front-of-house staff has been here for years. My two lead servers have been here for four-plus years, my bartender started here as a

Above: The Runways Grille welcomes guests with a full-size, fire-engine-red biplane. Below: Scallop risotto, a ricebased dish is made with mushrooms and a miso-dashi broth for a burst of umami flavor.

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Creative white pizza and delicious desserts at Runways Grille.

busser and has worked here for sevenplus years.” Heiser says. “I think that speaks volumes about the restaurant.”

Tara Cluck is head chef. She also joined the staff in 2019 and is now the

creative mind behind their evolving menu and food specials, including their enduringly popular scallop risotto.

“That’s my personal favorite,” beams Cluck.

The luscious rice-based dish is made with mushrooms and a miso-dashi broth for a burst of umami flavor. Then it is finished with indulgent cream and plump sea scallops. Cluck suggests complementing the meal with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc.

Two classic tastes here are the chargrilled filet mignon that is bathed in garlic herb butter and plated with a red wine demi-glace or the Maryland jumbo-lump crab cakes served golden brown with a side of house-made dill tartar sauce.

Each sumptuous entrée can be a meal on its own or paired together for a superlative surf and turf. The current menu sports a pork ribeye with spicy honey butter that is served alongside swirled gemelli pasta cloaked in bacon and cheddar as well as garlicky seafood scampi with sweet jumbo shrimp, scallops, and roasted tomatoes, accented with fresh sorrel.

Those who prefer a refreshing salad can choose from Cluck’s southern-style twist on a classic Cobb with black-eyed peas, cornbread croutons, and a snappy

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jalapeno ranch dressing. The Black & Blue marries Cajun dusted filet tips with pungent bleu cheese while the Dill Caper version plays supporting cast to tender chargrilled salmon.

Handheld fare includes an eclectic mix ranging from stacked half-pound burgers and club sandwiches to their crab cake tucked into a Kaiser roll or a black forest ham pretzel melt. The Cuban Rueben is a meld of favorites with Cuban roast pork with pastrami on marbled rye that is layered with Swiss cheese, pickles, and sauerkraut.

Weekly specials are Cluck’s opportunity to introduce even more variety and explore unique ingredients.

“On my days off, I will go to the farmers’ markets and Mennonite farms nearby,” she says. It may be fresh sweet corn or crisp Asian pears from Andrew’s Farm or savory country sausage from Hoffman’s that sparks her imagination. Her penchant for research and exploration resulted in adding fermented black beans and aromatic black garlic to her repertoire. Specials change weekly, starting Tuesday at 5 p.m. and run through Saturday at 8 p.m.

Cluck gets creative with equipment as well. She repurposed a vintage appliance normally used to hold hot food into an in-house smoker. She pairs hickory smoked beets alongside artisanal greens, local pears, and sharp Gorgonzola.

Her smoked duck swims among asiago-stuffed gnocchi with morel and shiitake mushrooms in rich jus. She’s done brisket and chicken wings, too. If you see “smoked” as a modifier, Cluck confirms, it is probably done in house.

If you are coming for drinks and appetizers, make sure to check out the happy hour specials (Tuesday through Saturday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.). They are always listed on the Runways Facebook page, along with tantalizing photos to whet an appetite.

Above: A chargrilled filet mignon bathed in garlic herb butter. Below: The shrimp and grits appetizer.

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Some of the BEST BUSINESSES in town are found at

Diners return for their favorite cheesy crab fries, which Cluck tweaked for the latest menu update. She assures us that the waffle-cut potatoes are better than ever, tossed in a buttery Parmesan sauce before a finish of mozzarella curds, sweet blue crab, and Old Bay. Guests may find sausage-stuffed peppers, duck poutine, stuffed dates, or indulgent snow crab cocktail on the menu. Pair them with a local beer or inventive drink special, like their Maple Whiskey Mule with ginger beer, Apple Pie cocktail, or a spiked eggnog.

The seasonal drink menu changes four times a year, but Runways signature Red Leader is always available. It honors Dave Rider’s memory with the warm embrace of caramel vodka, salted caramel Kahlua, and Bailey’s Irish Cream liqueur.

And don’t forget breakfast.

“I would like to point out that we are one of the few restaurants, as far as mom-and-pops, that serve three meals a day, five days a week,” says Cluck. Runways is closed Mondays but open on Tuesday through Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. They open Saturdays for breakfast at 9 a.m. with Sunday brunch served 9 a.m. until 2 p.m., dishing out hefty omelets and three types of eggs Benedict: traditional Canadian bacon, blue crab, or buttery lobster topped.

“We get a lot of military members in here, Blackhawk helicopters,” Cluck says. “The Coast Guard is here regularly.

It’s nice that we are open that early and they can get something to eat.”

When asked how she feels watching so many return customers coming in for a landing Cluck says, “It really humbles me when I look out into the dining room and see people enjoying my food. It makes me feel good.”

It’s a feeling that keeps the Grille at Runways’ crew flying high.

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DINING GUIDE 28 SOUTH

28 S. Potomac St., Hagerstown, 240.347.4932 Locally sourced contemporary American fare. $–$$$

$ entrées $10 and under | $$ entrées $10–$19 | $$$ entrées $20 and up

BROTHER’S PIZZA

75 Eastern Blvd. N., Hagerstown, 240.625.9215 Fresh, fast, and affordable pizza, sandwiches, and Italian classics. $–$$

ALEKOS 2 GO

511 Northern Ave., Hagerstown, 240.313.4976 Freshly prepared and cooked Greek food made daily. $

AMERICAN PIE PIZZERIA

17520 Virginia Ave., Hagerstown, 301.582.6281 Family run business that serves not only pizza but serveral authentic Italian dishes as well. $$

BENNY’S PUB

49 Eastern Blvd. N., Hagerstown, 301.791.5915 Relaxed venue serving specialty burgers and other pub grub, plus bespoke beers in convivial surrounds. $–$$

BULLS & BEARS

38 S. Potomac St., Suite 1, Hagerstown, 301.791.0370 American cuisine in a New York style atmosphere. $$–$$$

CACIQUE

1101 Opal Court, Hagerstown, 301.739.7207 Fresh, creative, and classic Mexican, Spanish, and Latin American cuisine. $$

CAFÉ DEL SOL

1481 Salem Ave., Suite 1, Hagerstown, 301.739.3072 Gourmet pizza, flatbreads, and pasta with a California twist. $$–$$$

CAFÉ ITALIA

935 Pennsylvania Ave., Hagerstown, 240.420.6677 Classic Italian dishes, and they offer one of the biggest pizzas in town. $–$$

CHIC’S SEAFOOD

300 Summit Ave., Hagerstown, 301.739.8220 Daily specials featuring some of the freshest seafood around. $–$$$

BISTRO 11

13208 Fountain Head Plaza, Hagerstown, 301.733.2222 Relaxed and refined cuisine. Full menu of specialties, steaks, and seafood. $$–$$$

BISTRO GRILL

67 Eastern Blvd. N., Hagerstown, 240.203.7860 A hidden gem of a Mediterranean restaurant featuring salads, gyros, awesome appetizers, a full kid’s menu, and fully stocked bar. $$

BJ’S RESTAURANT & BREWHOUSE

17318 Valley Mall Road, Suite C, Hagerstown, 240.513.4040 Handcrafted beer, Chicago-style pizza with a Southern California twist, and Pizookies. $$-$$$

BLACK ROCK BARBECUE

11205 John F. Kennedy Drive, Hagerstown, 21742, 240.346.8649 Spice rubbed ribs, pit beef, brisket, pulled pork, chicken, and more! $$

BLACK ROCK BAR & GRILL

17301 Valley Mall Road, Hagerstown, 240.850.3365 An award-winning steakhouse specializing in Certified Angus Beef steaks served and cooked to perfection by you on a 755-degree volcanic sizzling rock. $$-$$$

BONNIE’S AT THE RED BYRD

19409 Shepherdstown Pike, Keedysville, 301.432.5822 Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are covered with a wide selection of sandwiches and entrees. $–$$

THE BROAD AXE

28 W. Franklin St., Hagerstown, 301.733.8454 Daily specials featuring top-notch pub fare and a quickly rotating tap list. $–$$

COLONIAL SPORTS BAR AND GRILL

GREENLEE’S FIRESIDE RESTAURANT & LOUNGE

1716 Underpass Way, Hagerstown, 301.733.4800 A full menu of steaks, seafood, and other American specialties. $$–$$$

FOSTER’S ON THE POINT

1437 Salem Ave., Hagerstown, 301.739.7182 Soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers, and a rotating list of entrées and specials offered in an inviting rustic atmosphere. $$–$$$

FRATELLI PIZZERIA AND GRILL

120 E. Oak Ridge Drive, Hagerstown, 301.393.8733 Italian specialties like pasta, pizza, in addition to Mexican options. $–$$

FREE RANGE CAFÉ

520 Northern Ave., Hagerstown, 240.513.6070 Food that makes you feel good! $-$$

FUJI ASIAN FOOD & SUSHI BAR

11205 John F. Kennedy Drive, Suite 205, Hagerstown, 301.393.9099 Authentic traditional Chinese cuisine options and sushi. $–$$

THE GRILLE AT RUNWAYS

18421 Henson Blvd., Hagerstown, 240.707.6996 Traditional American dining with a quiet and relaxing view of the airstrip. $–$$

14130 Pennsylvania Ave., Hagerstown, 240.203.6206 The best game-day food at the best prices around. $–$$

HAGERSTOWN FAMILY DINER

DISTRICT PROVISION & SUPPLY CO.

HOFFMAN’S ALL AMERICAN GRILL

6 Rochester Place, Hagerstown, 301.791.1717 Open for breakfast and lunch, featuring gourmet sandwiches, salads, and soups. $

431 Dual Highway, Hagerstown, 240.707.6330 Great hidden gem of Hagerstown. $

18203 Mason Dixon Road, Hagerstown, 240.707.6600 Casual dining at its finest featuring burgers, steaks, salads, and seafood. $$–$$$

THE DOG HOUSE CAFÉ

53 S. Potomac St., Hagerstown, 240.850.2883. Family-owned and operated restaurant that specializes in dozens of unique hot dog creations, great fries, and more. $

DOLCE PIZZA GOURMET

792 Frederick St., Hagerstown, 301.745.6300 Italian flavors complemented by Eastern European dishes. $–$$

EL CASTELLO PIZZERIA & TEX MEX

15616 National Pike, Hagerstown, 301.582.4727 Pizza, salads, lunch specials, and a spicy array of Tex Mex. $–$$

EL RANCHERO MEXICAN RESTAURANT

1481 Wesel Blvd., Hagerstown, 240.420.2842 1715 Dual Highway, Hagerstown, 301.797.7589 Fresh, authentic Mexican cuisine using the highest-quality ingredients available. $$

FAJITA GRANDE MEXICAN RESTAURANT

12818 Shank Farm Way, Hagerstown, 240.707.6333 Where the fiesta never ends. $

HUMMUS MEDITERRANEAN GRILL

11205 John F. Kennedy Dr., Unit 108A, Hagerstown, 240.513.6020 A blend of authentic Mediterranean recipes with modern flavors. $–$$

HONG KONG CHINESE RESTAURANT

1075 Virginia Ave., Hagerstown, 301.733.1292 Veteran eatery serving familiar Chinese dishes in an informal setting. $$

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To be featured on our dining page, email cboteler@hagerstownmag.com for more info!

NIKKO JAPANESE STEAK & SEAFOOD

1580 Wesel Blvd., Suite F, Hagerstown, 301.714.0005 Bento combo box lunches, tons of a la carte sushi options, and hibachi lunch and dinner options. $–$$

POKÉ & SUSHI

11205 John F. Kennedy Drive, Hagerstown, 301.714.1397 Seafood and sandwiches are served in a casual setting with polished wood tables and a bar. $$–$$$

HOUSE OF KOBE

757 Dual Highway, Hagerstown, 301.797.6979 Fine dining featuring sushi and hibachi cooking right in front of you. $$–$$$

HUB CITY DINER

190 Railway Ln., Hagerstown, 240.707.6638 Comfort food served hot and fresh in a family friendly atmosphere. $

LEDO PIZZA

1423 Dual Highway, Hagerstown, 301.766.4900 Creative flavor combinations and lots of sandwich and gluten-free options. $–$$

LOS AMIGOS MEXICAN RESTAURANT

29 N. Burhans Blvd, Hagerstown, 240.420.8000 18330 Spark Dr., Hagerstown, 240.707.6250 The finest authentic Mexican food prepared just the way you like it. $

LOTUS MOON CAFÉ

16 Conococheague St., Williamsport, 240.366.1335 Unique sandwich and salad creations to please any taste. $-$$

MAMA LULU’S DINER

2 East Potomac Street, Williamsport, MD, 301.223.8010 Fresh made diner favorites in a fun, 50’s atmosphere. $-$$

MANGO GRILL INDIAN & THAI CUISINE

11205 John F. Kennedy Drive, Suite 201, Hagerstown, 240.707.6220 Experience the flavors of India and Thailand with daily lunch buffet deals. $$

MISSION BBQ

17301 Valley Mall Road, Hagerstown, 443.491.8777 Authentic, mouth-watering all-American food that’s done right. $$

NICK’S AIRPORT INN

14548 Pennsylvania Ave., Hagerstown 301.733.8560 More than 50 years of serving quality cuisine from scrumptious seafood to delectable desserts. $$

Longmeadow Shopping Center, 1551 Potomac Ave., Hagerstown, 301.790.5040 Fine coffee, espresso drinks, organic teas, with a full breakfast and lunch menu. $

11347 Robinwood Dr. Hagerstown, 301.393.8833 Refreshing Asian alternative. Choose your own ingredients for soups, Poké, rice bowls and sushi. Boba (bubble) tea. $$.

SAKURA JAPANESE RESTAURANT

PRETZEL & PIZZA CREATIONS

SARDI’S POLLO A LA BRASA

PRIMANTI BROS.

SCHMANKERL STUBE

20 W. Washington St., Hagerstown, 301.733.7795 Calzones, sandwiches, hot dogs, and of course pizza featuring pretzel dough as the star. $–$$

SCHULA’S GRILL AND CRAB HOUSE

ROOSTER MOON COFFEEHOUSE

17301 Valley Mall, Hagerstown, 301.228.0933 High-piled sandwiches equipped to quell the heartiest of hungers. $

102 Railway Lane, Hagerstown, 301.393.8680 Part Japanese steakhouse, part sushi bar, featuring hibachi dining. $$–$$$

100 Railway Lane, Hagerstown, 240.382.1214 Casual Peruvian chain serving charbroiled chicken, ceviche, and other traditional dishes. $–$$$

58 S. Potomac St., Hagerstown, 301.797.3354 Old World-style Bavarian dining with an emphasis on German traditions. $$$

PUBLIC SQUARE CAFÉ

2 W. Washington St., Hagerstown, 240.707.6440 Perfect for a quick bite or a much needed caffeinated pick-me-up. $

PURA VIDA COFFEE

14035 Pennsylvania Ave., Hagerstown, 240.707.6540 Costa Rican inspired coffee shop/ restaurant featuring craft coffees/teas, onsite baked goods, breakfasts, and lunches. $

RAD PIES

10210 Governor Lane Blvd., Williamsport, 240.366.8634 Unique, wood-fired pizza options for the adventurous. $$

REAL DEAL JAMAICAN RESTAURANT

71 W. Franklin St., Hagerstown, 240.513.6393 A concise menu of classic Jamaican comfort foods & soft drinks amid casual digs. $

TACOS CARLITOS

Food Court, Valley Mall, Hagerstown, 240.452.1888 100% authentic genuine Mexican food – the best in town! Daily specials and delivery available. $

RHUBARB HOUSE

12 Public Square, Hagerstown, 301.733.4399 Sandwiches, burgers, wraps, salads, and soups with a unique touch. $–$$

RICE THAI DINING

40 N. Potomac St., Hagerstown, 301.766.9559 A taste of authentic Thailand, without needing a passport $$-$$$

RIK’S CAFE

1065 Maryland Ave., Hagerstown, 301.302.7541 California-inspired contemporary American cuisine featuring sandwiches, hearty soups, small plates, and salads. $$–$$$

ROCKY’S NEW YORK PIZZA

907 S. Potomac St., Suite 1, Hagerstown, 301.791.6810 Great pizza in addition to other classic Italian fare. $–$$

ROCKY’S PIZZA ROBINWOOD

11351 Robinwood Drive, Hagerstown, 301.790.3853 Delicious Italian cuisine at an affordable price $-$$

SILK THAI RESTAURANT AND BAR

1580 Wesel Blvd. K, Hagerstown, 240.267.2142 Spreading good vibes of Thai culture by introducing the wonderful food and scenery of the land of smiles. $$–$$$

SITAR OF INDIA

110 Railway Lane, Hagerstown, 301.733.8223 A contemporary atmosphere that complements their traditional Northern Indian specialties. $-$$

STADIUM TAVERN

401 S. Cannon Ave., Hagerstown, 301.714.0849 Crabs and steam buckets, shrimp, and oysters, and don’t forget the wings. $–$$

TAQUERIA JALISCO AUTHENTIC MEXICAN GRILL

1037 Maryland Ave., Hagerstown, 301.797.2000 Authentic Mexican cuisine with the experience of being in Mexico. $

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SENIOR LIVING

CHARLES | FREDERICK

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Every Wednesday CONTEMPORARY RETIREMENT 9:06 a.m. to 10 a.m., WJEJ Radio

Tune in for topical discussions on issues affecting retirees.

Wednesdays, November 1 and December 6 NEW TO MEDICARE WORKSHOP 1 p.m.–3 p.m., 6 p.m-8 p.m. 535 E. Franklin St., Hagerstown

Hosted by the Washington County Commission on Aging. To register call 301.790.0275.

LET’S GET ONEYOURTHING STRAIGHT. TEETH. toothmanorthodontics.com Hagerstown 301.791.1770 Frederick 301.662.3366

2023 Platinum Provider

Tuesdays, November 7 and December 5 ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUP 4:30–5:30 p.m., Somerford Place

Hosted by Somerford Assisted Living and Alzheimer’s Care. For more information, call 301.791.9221.

Tuesdays, November 7, 14, 21 & 28 and December 5, 12, 19 & 26 HEALTH MATTERS RADIO SHOW 9:30–10 a.m., WJEJ radio (1240 am)

Tune in for information on health topics that matter. Call 301.739.2323 during broadcast times with your health questions.

Thursdays, September 7 and October 5 PARKINSON’S SUPPORT GROUP

11:45 a.m.–3 p.m. Western Sizzlin Steakhouse, 17567 York Road, Hagerstown

Parkinson’s Disease patients and caregivers meet to hear a variety of speakers and enjoy lunch and conversation. Call Art Guyer at 240.625.2722 or visit www.fareshare.net/ Parkinsons.

Mondays, November 13 and December 11 CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP

2–3 p.m., LIFE Lutheran Services, 840 Fifth Ave., Chambersburg, Pa.

Covers a new topic each week. Free; light refreshments served. Call 717.709.2342.

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Mondays, November 13 and December 11 BREAST CANCER SUPPORT GROUP

7 p.m., Breast Cancer Awareness — Cumberland Valley, 12916 Conamar Dr., Suite 201, Hagerstown

Call 301.791.5843 or visit www.bcacv.org.

Mondays, November 20 and December 18 SPINAL CORD INJURY SUPPORT

3–4 p.m., Robinwood Medical Center, Suite 201

Education and support for those who have suffered a spinal cord injury and are now adjusting to their disabilities. Call 301.714.4070.

Tuesdays, November 21 and December 19 SMART SENIORS

11 a.m.–12:30 p.m., Diakon Senior Living — Robinwood Campus

Educational forum about topics of interest to older adults; sit-down meal served. $9. For reservations, call 240.420.4119.

Tuesdays, November 21 and December 19 LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA

6 p.m., Robinwood Medical Center, Suite 129

Open to those affected by leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease, MDS or myeloma. Call 301.665.4650.

Thursdays, November 9 and December 7 ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUP

6–7 p.m Brookdale Senior Living, 20009 Rosebank Way, Hagerstown

Family and friends of those suffering from dementia are invited to network with others who are experiencing similar situations in a safe, non-judgmental setting. Call 301.733.3353.

Tuesdays, November 28 and December 26 55 UP 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m., Cortland Mansion 19411 Cortland Drive, Hagerstown

Lunch and educational seminar for people ages 55 and UP. $13. Call 301.790.8907.

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finishing touches Decorating, renovating, and updating advice from Maryann Fisher

HOLIDAY DECORATING AFTER TAKING DOWN THE HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS, you are now probably thinking about Thanksgiving, Christmas/Hanukkah, or just winter-themed decor.

Before you put away all the Halloween decorations, you may have things that could perform double duty (pumpkins that are not Jack-O-Lanterns) for Thanksgiving. Adding mums (either one color or mixed fall colors) to your doorway with dried corn stalks and/or bale(s) of hay with multiple lanterns would create a lovely seasonal welcome.

After Thanksgiving, the lanterns could remain while you switch to your winter entrance.

If you appreciate the seasonal decorating options (whether you are entertaining or not), think outside of the box. You could add themed hand towels to a bathroom and dish towels in the kitchen. On a staircase, consider placing faux “pencil” Christmas trees or lanterns (with battery candles) to every other or third step against the wall.

If your handrail is on the opposite wall, you can hang garland wrapping every other spindle and finish the area with a big bow at the bottom or top of the rail.

Any flat surface (tables, counters, buffets, islands, cabinets with glass doors, shelves, etc.) gives you the opportunity to add holiday décor.

In the featured kitchen, all of the small upper cabinets have Christmas décor. There are

small Christmas trees, small arrangements of greens with gold grape clusters, and groupings of large red and gold Christmas balls. The top center area has a bed of greens with three gold wire gift boxes. The counter features a glass punch bowl sitting in a wreath of acrylic crystal clusters. It is surrounded by small Christmas plates and stemware with gold rims.

The area is lit with battery candles on stands with rings of tiny gold balls on either end and a pair of silver Santa’s holding taller candles by the punch bowl. In the foreground, a silver bowl is filled with glittery, colorful pears.

Christmas decorating can be a walk down memory lane if you include photographs of Christmas’ past. They can be displayed individually or grouped together using simple or holiday frames. I have a Christmas tree that is filled with ornament frames with photos of my parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, as well as our children and grandchildren.

While decorating this tree, I am able to take a walk down my own memory lane.

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a dose of satire Kenneth Buckler offers a satirical look at the holiday season in Hagerstown.

parking deck for a single day, then vanished again without a trace, and never seen the rest of the holiday season.

THE GREAT HAGERSTOWN CHRISTMAS TREE CAPER EVERY HOLIDAY SEASON, HAGERSTOWN RESIDENTS GATHER TO CELEBRATE THE TIME-HONORED TRADITION OF SELECTING A MASSIVE CHRISTMAS TREE TO SERVE AS THE CENTERPIECE OF THE CITY’S FESTIVE DECORATIONS. But in recent years, the process has taken a turn for the absurd, evolving into what can only be described as ‘The Great Christmas Tree Caper.’

The saga begins innocently enough: city officials announced the lighting ceremony for this year’s tree, and local families eagerly awaited the tree lighting ceremony. However, it’s what happened next that turned this into a bizarre and much-anticipated annual event.

The tree, a majestic fir, was decorated in beautiful colorful lights and decorative ornaments featuring local businesses, only to mysteriously disappear the night after the tree lighting ceremony.

The city awakened to the shocking sight of an empty pedestal in the square where the tree once stood, leaving residents in disbelief. It quickly became apparent that Hagerstown’s Christmas tree had been stolen.

But as strange as this story is, this isn’t where it ends. Hagerstown’s missing Christmas tree reappeared one year later, this time on top of City Hall. The city was completely baffled, as there was no way for the tree to be taken to the roof and simply seemed to appear out of thin air. And just as the previous year, it disappeared a day later. After several years of these bizarre tree sightings in various parts of the city, finding the tree became a sort of scavenger hunt that united the community in a shared holiday adventure, even gaining regional media coverage.

Local conspiracy theorists briefly claimed that the tree’s disappearing act was orchestrated by a team of city workers in an effort to increase local tourism. However, this theory was quickly dismissed when the tree started appearing briefly in front of the city’s speed cameras, blocking the license plates of residents in a holiday gift to prevent the city from issuing speeding tickets. Residents have since rejoiced and celebrated the long lost Christmas Tree, or “the ghost of Christmas tickets” as it has been affectionately nicknamed.

Some suspected the tree might have been stolen in some sort of prank, while others even claimed extraterrestrial intervention. After a week of no leads or sightings, the city replaced the tree with a new one, and moved on. Or so they thought.

So Hagerstown, next to the milk and cookies, don’t forget to leave out the tree sap and pine cones on a separate plate as a treat for the city’s long lost Christmas tree.

And maybe, if you’re lucky, the ghost of Christmas tickets will make an appearance for you, and save you from yet another speed camera ticket.

Just as suddenly as the tree vanished, it then reappeared briefly on top of the empty parking deck once used by Washington County Hospital. Residents and the city government were puzzled, as the tree seemed to have magically reappeared overnight, remained at the top of the

No pine trees were harmed while writing this article. This is a satire article by Ken Buckler.

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