Hagerstown Magazine - May/June 2024

26 Baseball is Back

After an absence of three seasons following the demise of the Hagerstown Suns, the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars take the field at the new downtown Meritus Park. For more than a century now, professional baseball has been an important aspect of our city. Now there is more to come.

34 Poetry and Boxing

A young Hagerstown woman overcame a troubling childhood by turning to the unlikely combination of poetry and boxing. She has published two books of poetry in hopes of helping others and is getting ready to turn pro in boxing.

Lloyd and Sheree Thoburn turned an old downtown car dealership into a vinyl record shop and then used extra space to create Live at Hub City Vinyl in hopes of making downtown Hagerstown a music destination.

Jonathan Staples has opened Branded Chophouse in Boonsboro, giving the town a destination restaurant with big-city quality but a small-town setting.

52 LOCAL FLAVOR

Bonnie’s at Red Byrd serves up homestyle food in a country diner setting, just like it has been doing for the last 66 years.

62 GROW-IT-ALL

The garden and the lawn are competing for your attention, but early in the season, the garden should win out.

64 A DOSE OF SATIRE

A giant purple cucumber? Ken Buckler dreams up some county agricultural records.

PLAY BALL! AGAIN!

IT’S SPRINGTIME AND ALFRED TENNYSON TELLS US A “YOUNG MAN’S FANCY LIGHTLY TURNS TO THOUGHTS OF LOVE,” BUT WE KNOW HIS IDLE TIME IS consumed by baseball. Certainly my idle time was spent at baseball. I grew up in a postWorld War II neighborhood of brick ranchers, where, for some reason, there was a single empty lot. As soon as the snow melted, all the boys in the neighborhood met there after school and first thing every Saturday morning with our freshly oiled mitts, wooden bats, and hopefully a crisp, new baseball that one of us had lucked into for a Christmas present.

With no more snow to shovel and grass not yet green enough to require mowing, we renewed our makeshift field and reassigned the bare spot near the lot’s edge as first base, the rock in the middle of the lot as second, and threw down a mitt of one of the batting team’s players as third.

Back then we committed to memory the batting and earned run averages of every player from our collection of baseball cards, a feat that irritated my mother to no end. “Why,” she would question, “can you remember all those numbers but you can’t get a passing grade in math?”

Clearly, I felt my future lay more with baseball than elementary arithmetic. Turns out neither one played much of a role in my future. I became a writer.

My vocation and baseball have crossed paths before, although not with any regularity. But this month I wanted to delve deeply into baseball in Hagerstown—not only to say the Flying Boxcars are beginning their much-anticipated inaugural season but to look at what baseball has meant to our city for more than a century now. As time distances us from the sport’s history, my research turned up some interesting facts, which together with the optimistic future of a new team means baseball is woven into the fabric of Hagerstown.

Play ball!

–JeffThoreson

WHO WE ARE

KEN BUCKLER

A lifelong resident of Washington County, Buckler is a cyber security and risk management professional. In his spare time, he writes informational and satirical articles about local issues.

DEBORAH SMITH-FIOLA

Fiola is a professional horticultural consultant who lives in Keedysville. A former university professor and extension agent, she has a B.S. in horticulture and an M.S. in entomology pest management.

The Hagerstown Suns are now part of the colorful history of professional baseball in the Hub City.

Are

interest rates ever coming down?  What is going on with the Federal Reserve?” M.E. Ijamsville, MD

A:

Following the Fed these days is like watching an endless point in a tennis match. The backand-forth is causing anxiety, anticipation, more anxiety, and confusion.

At its March meeting, Fed officials said they penciled in three quarter-point cuts in short-term rates by the end of 2024. But wait. Not so fast.

In the following weeks, Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic suggested one cut. San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly noted no guarantees, and Cleveland’s President Loretta Mester said rate cuts may come later this year. Minneapolis President Neel Kashkari said that no cuts may be on the table, followed by Fed Governor Michelle Bowman, who said it’s possible rates may have to move higher to control inflation.

Confused? You’re not alone. So are the financial markets. As you can see in the table below, market speculators now anticipate only one, maybe two, cuts this year. But as the percentages show, there’s not much conviction in any outlook.

The April Consumer Price Index report only added to the confusion.

When consumer prices came in a bit hotter-than-expected, that added to the uncertainty about what’s next with the Fed.

So, try to stay focused, tune out the

noise, and don’t get pulled into the guessing game of “What the Fed is Going to do Next?” If you have further questions, feel free to contact our office and we can discuss further.

Solemn Sunrise

A SPRING SUNRISE OVER ANTIETAM NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD HIGHLIGHTS THE MIDST RISING FROM THE LOWER AREAS OF THE Middletown Valley. The cannons have stood silent now for more than 160 years as the hallowed ground pays tribute to America’s bloodiest day of battle.

This is Washington County

Creepy Crawly

Boonsboro couple’s reptile show is a living, learning experience

WHEN JOSEPH WOLFE WAS A CHILD, A RELATIVE WON A LITTLE GREEN LIZARD AT A FAIR AND DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT. “They

reached out, and 13-year-old me was over the moon about it,” Wolfe says.

From that anole, Wolfe’s love of reptiles grew, and now he owns 17 creatures, most of which are considerably larger than that little anole. Garnet is a six-foot, 20-pound boa. Baby is a four-foot Argentine Black and White Tegu. Griz and Cash are bearded dragons.

“Reptiles are like a drug to me. Once you have one you just have to get more,” he says.

His girlfriend, Abigail Ballard, thinks the same way. “I got my first reptile four years ago,” Ballard says. “I bought a bearded dragon then I kind of wanted this one, then that one.”

The two met when Abigail’s bearded dragon got sick, and she posted to Snapchat asking for advice. A mutual friend saw it and reached out to Wolfe, an emergency medical technician and a combat medic with the U.S. National Guard. The two started dating and their love of reptiles remains a common bond.

But the two don’t just collect reptiles. They have created Wolfe’s Exotic Encounters, a reptile show for children’s parties, senior citizen centers, or any business looking to add some unusual pizzaz to an event. Wolfe says he recently had an inquiry about bringing his reptile show to a bachelorette party.

“Really, there’s no occasion we would turn down. Anyone who wants to make an event a little more interesting because it helps people understand how to take care of reptiles,” Wolfe says.

Often reptiles are given as pets but the person getting the gift loses interest or doesn’t know how to properly care for these creatures. Wolfe tries to bridge that gap for people. The couple’s show typically lasts between 30 and 45 minutes, and then they allow guests to handle the reptiles, take photos, and ask questions so the couple can help people with their specific needs.

Shows include several reptiles, but not all 17 at once. They vary their guest appearances based on the clientele and the personality of the animal. The big lizards and big snakes are usually the star

attractions. Most of the reptiles don’t mind being handled by strangers, but some remain with Wolfe or Ballard, even though they might be part of the show.

Education is always part of the show. Wolfe and Ballard try to inform people that it’s important to do research on all aspects of owning a reptile. Many live for decades and people could end up buying an animal that will outlive them. Knowing the reptile’s diet is also key. Wolfe and Ballard breed bugs that the animals eat and work with local farms to acquire produce.

“A few people told us, ‘Hey, you love animals. You really know alot about these. You should teach people about them,’” Wolfe says. So they are.

— By Charles Jeffries

And the Winners Are…

Washington County Chamber of Commerce names 2024 business awards winners

THE WASHINGTON COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HONORED local businesses at its 25th Annual Business Awards event on February 28 at The Maryland Theatre. More than 400 people attended the awards presentation.

Chick-fil-A Hagerstown won the At Your Service Award, given to a retail or service business undertaking actions that generate customer loyalty and satisfaction. Chick-fil-A’s vision to purposefully deliver care by touching hearts at the restaurant and beyond the business is carried out through their expansion with a new location on Sharpsburg Pike. Their new restaurant doubled their workforce by adding 100 jobs.

The Arc of Washington County, Inc., won the Large Business of the Year Award, given to a business with at least 50 employees that demonstrates job creation, innovation, community involvement, and commitment to the Washington County community. The Arc is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping adults and children with intellectual and developmental disabilities participate in every level of our society. The Arc works closely with everyone who receives their services to create highly personalized programs that complement individual needs and preferences.

Children in Need, Inc., won the Non-Profit of the Year Award for its work with economically disadvantaged children in Washington County. The organization serves more than 3,000 children annually, giving

students the confidence they need to feel good about themselves by providing new or gently used clothing and basic hygiene supplies.

University System of Maryland at Hagerstown received the Small Business of the Year Award. USMH offers upper-division undergraduate and graduate academic programs of the universities within the University System of Maryland at its facility in downtown Hagerstown. USMH works collaboratively to develop innovative partnerships with local community colleges, businesses, and civic leaders to ensure a seamless and quality learning experience for students.

Dr. Michael Hann received the Young Professional of the Year Award for his leadership as chief medical officer at Brook Lane. He has been instrumental in advancing the mission of hope, healing, and recovery in Washington County. Hann has overseen a diverse range of clinical programs, including inpatient psychiatric services, outpatient care, and specialty programs.

Stephen Schutte won the Business Person of the Year Award. Schutte, general manager of Point Broadband, advocates for and helps facilitate success and new thought in Washington County. He is involved with numerous community organizations, including the Washington County Free Library, Western Maryland Regional Library, Hagerstown Youth Council, and Kiwanis. He serves on the North High Booster Board and the Star Community Board.

Washington County Chamber of Commerce 2024 award winners (from left) Dr. Michael Hahn, chief medical officer at Brook Lane; Troy Van Scoyoc, executive director, The Arc of Washington County, Inc.; Brittany Wedd, executive director, Children in Need, Inc.; Dr. Jacob Ashby, executive director, University System of Maryland at Hagerstown; Stephen Schutte, general manager, Point Broadband; Randy Scott, owner, Chick-fil-A Hagerstown.

Saving History

Washington County’s Rural Heritage Museum re-opens historic Mt. Tabor church

SOMETIME IN THE MID- TO LATE-19TH CENTURY A LOG CABIN structure was built along Mt. Tabor Road and used as a place of worship for the Mount Tabor Society. The Mount Tabor United Brethren in Christ Church was such a conservative place to gather that the inside of the building had low wall built down the center of the church to keep males and females from making eye contact during services. The thinking was that when genders are not close, there are fewer distractions, allowing the congregation to focus more closely on worship.

As with all wooden structures abandoned for new locations, the church decayed over time. In 1991 the church was being dismantled when David Resh purchased the land on which the church still sat and the nearby cemetery. Resh, recognizing the building’s historic value and that dismantling such a building required a permit, petitioned the county to have the work stopped. Then the Reshes went about finding the proper way to save the church.

“Once we acquired the property, we discussed the idea of restoring the building on its original site,” Resh says. “The structure had been

identified by the Historic Preservation Commission of Washington County as a historic structure.”

When rebuilding it on its original site on Mt. Tabor Road west of Route 63 proved unfeasible, Resh donated the structure to the Washington County Rural Heritage Museum, which then moved the church to the WCRHM property on Sharpsburg Pike south of Hagerstown in 2009.

Work by museum board members Phil Muritz and John Himes over the last few months has restored the church to what it looked like when it was in use, including the partition dividing the inside.

“I think it is important to restore the partition because it shows a transition of worship seating, where we started and where we are now,” Resh says.

The Rural Heritage Museum re-dedicated the church on April 6, and it is now open for the public to view, another of the museum’s buildings and collections that help recreate the way life was in Washington County hundreds of years ago.

— By Charles Jeffries

Mt. Tabor Church sat decaying in its original location along Mt. Tabor Road west of Route 63.

It has now been moved to the Washington County Rural Heritage site where it has been renovated.

The Early Days of The Great Hagerstown Fair

THIS MONTH TIME TRAVELER MIKE MAROTTE III TAKES US BACK TO the heyday of “The Great Hagerstown Fair” with a look at several of the buildings that were once the central attractions. The fair started in 1851 when a large group of residents in the Hagerstown area voiced their interest in having an annual agricultural event. Everything fell into place as and “The Great Hagerstown Fair” began on October 13, 1852. For years, thousands of people came from near and far to enjoy what turned into a spectacular summertime event.

The magnificent poultry building was built in 1910. In 1923 the building was transformed into a main exhibit hall. This building was destroyed by fire on December 17, 1950.

The exhibition hall was always a crowd pleaser with its grand displays. The fair drew huge crowds each year, and it was reported in 1907 that receipts were double compared to the year before. Thousands of visitors came by the Cumberland Valley Railroad’s passenger trains to experience the fair and enjoy contests, displays, and home cooking.

A partial view shows some of main buildings used during the early 1900s. At this time, you would have seen thousands of people flooding the streets of Hagerstown making their way to the fair to relax, see their friends, and to have a memorable time.

Huge crowds gathered at the grand stand every year during the fair in the early 1900s. The half-mile racetrack was built in 1854 and in 1929 thoroughbred racing began. Sadly, it came to an end. The last race was held on October 3, 1970.

OF NOTE

New Podcast Highlights Chamber Members: THE WASHINGTON COUNTY CHAMBER OF Commerce is working in partnership with Jay Heich, owner of Venue Media, LLC, to produce a new podcast, called “Washington County ChamberCast.” The show emphasizes the work that our small businesses are doing locally.

Heich interviews small business owners and leaders in a 10-minute deep-dive into their company. The show offers Washington County a new way to get to know more about the individuals who are making strides in our local business community.

“The ChamberCast is the only real media in the immediate area that allows business owners and entrepreneurs to get in front of a mic and camera and talk up their product, service, or upcoming event,” Heich said. “It’s important that chamber members like and share the posts as a way to foster a prosperous business community.”

Current Washington County Chamber members are the stars of the show, and individuals are recommended to be featured by Chamber staff.

“Our new podcast hosted by Jay Heich is yet another way we can shine the spotlight on the many hardworking small business owners in Washington County,” said Paul Frey, president and CEO of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce. “They work tirelessly every day to provide quality products and services to their customers and clients, and we want to be sure to recognize the work they do to help keep our local economy moving forward.”

Video recordings of the show are uploaded to the Washington County Chamber of Commerce YouTube channel. The show is part of the Listen Hagerstown podcast network run by Manning Media.

Grand Opening of Achieving True Self: ACHIEVING TRUE SELF PROVIDES SERVICES FOR individuals diagnosed with autism, from birth to 21 years, and for community organizations. It held its grand opening on February 22 at the facility on Hunters Green Parkway in Hagerstown. Achieving True Self identified the need to provide these life-changing and medically necessary services to families in Washington County. They received grant funding from the Maryland Consortium on Coordinated Community Supports to offer social skills groups, parent training, behavioral consultation, and related support across the county.

The new center expands the organization’s capabilities, allowing Washington County residents to benefit from their services, which includes both private rooms and open spaces for group activities, along with office space and an area for preparing enrichment materials.

River Bottom Roasters Moves into Williamsport Facility: RIVER BOTTOM ROASTERS OPENED in downtown Hagerstown in 2019, and now it moves into a new facility in Williamsport that allows the company to expand its roastery. RBR is moving from its 350-square-foot downtown location to a 3,000-square-foot facility that now hosts a cafe with seating for groups and individuals where customers can work remotely, meet with friends and family, host meet-ups, or simply enjoy the craft-to-cup mentality at their new cafe.

RBR supports farmers in regions where owner Craig Campbell worked in the mission fields of South America. The company never buys coffee as a commodity, rather they work with people in the regions where coffee beans are grown and they pay farmers a fair, livable wage for their hard work. Without their knowledge, skill, and expertise, River Bottom coffee wouldn’t have that rich, smooth taste customers have come to expect. The RBR team treats their farmers with the dignity and respect they deserve as their partners.

River Bottom is now a full-service cafe with craft coffee beverages and specialty food items.

Belles and Beaus Opens in Williamsport: BELLES AND BEAUS HAIR STUDIO HAS OPENED on East Potomac Street in Williamsport. The salon offers individualized hair and beard services as well as facial waxing in an enjoyable and pleasant environment. Owners Karen Lowman and Kelli Sue Schonewolf grew up in Washington County. They ensure a comfortable and safe environment for seniors with difficulties. Military veterans, police, fire, and EMS providers receive discounts, including a free haircut for veterans, on Veterans Day.

A Growing Foundation: THE COMMUNITY Foundation, established in 1997, has now been serving Washington County for 27 years, providing more than $35 million in grants and scholarships to support nonprofits and students. The Community Foundation was established with one fund totaling $9,000 but now holds more than 425 funds totaling more than $65 million to support the community.

The Community Foundation is expanding its staff and space, moving to a new location on Leitersburg Pike in Hagerstown. The move will increase accessibility for their donors and the community and have an event space.

Youth Movement: YOUNG PROFESSIONALS IN the Washington County area might be interested in GenNext, a group created to provide networking opportunities to professionals between the ages of 21 and 39. The group will hold a casual networking event on May 23 at the Alpine Plant Bar in downtown Hagerstown.

CALENDAR

may to june

MAY 18-19

QUAD STATE PICKLE FEST

Washington County Agricultural Education Center, 7313 Sharpsburg Pike, Boonsboro

Indulge yourself in everything pickles, from pickle pizza to pickle jewelry, and for adults perhaps pickle margaritas or pickle beer. There will be live music featuring Groovalicious and The Reagan Years on Saturday then the Kelly Bell Band and The Amish Outlaws on Sunday. Kids 12 and under get in free. Noon to 8 p.m. www.quadstatepicklefest.com.

8th

JUNE 8

AIR SUPPLY

Luhrs Performing Arts Center, 475 Lancaster Drive., Shippensburg, Pa.

The trademark sound of Russell Hitchcock’s soaring tenor voice and Graham Russell’s simple yet majestic songs created a unique sound that would forever be known as Air Supply. They have had worldwide success with the major hits “All Out of Love,” “Make Love Out of Nothing at All,” “Lost in Love,” “Here I Am,” “The One That You Love,” and many more. 7:30 p.m. 717-477-7469 or www.luhrscenter.com.

JUNE 8

INTERSTATE WINE FEST: ISLAND VIBES 2024

Washington County Agricultural Education Center, 7313 Sharpsburg Pike, Boonsboro

More than 130 wines, spirits, seltzers, ciders, and beers will be featured. More than 100 vendors will provide awesome food, live local music, karaoke, games, mega bubbles, and more. The Beach Bums, a Jimmy Buffet and Beach Boys tribute band, Cheezy and The Crackers, the Chris Sacks Band, and Leaping Luci will fill the air with island sounds and vibes. Since 2014, this event has drawn thousands of attendees and has raised tens of thousands of dollars for area nonprofit groups. Noon to 8 p.m. www.ifg-events.com/winefest.

MAY 4

BLUES, BREWS & BARBEQUE

Capitol Theatre, 159 S. Main Street, Chambersburg, Pa.

Live music includes opener Jo Blues Band followed by incomparable headliner Skyla Burrell Band. The event will also have food trucks, craft and specialty beers, wine, non-alcoholic drinks, and concessions, making it a fun evening out. All foodand drink will be available for additional purchase. 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. 717-263-0202 or www.thecapitoltheatre.org.

MAY 10

CULTURE & COCKTAILS: PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE: GET TO KNOW YOUR ART MUSEUM

Miller House Museum, 135 W. Washington Street, Hagerstown Sarah Hall, executive director of the WCMFA, will touch on key aspects of the museum’s history while sharing the museum’s vision for expansion, hosting ambitious exhibitions, and creating an arts campus in City Park. This month’s cocktail is the French 75, a refreshing and sparkling drink made from gin, champagne, lemon juice, and sugar. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and light hors d’oeuvres will be served. 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. 301797-8782 or www.washcohistory.org.

18th 10th

MAY 10-11

BONANZA EXTRAVAGANZA

Hagerstown Speedway, 15112 National Pike, Hagerstown

The Bonanza Extravaganza is Washington County’s premiere event to benefit local first responders. Since 2006, thousands have attended the two-day event featuring live music, vendors, and more than $850,000 in cash and prizes awarded to lucky ticket holders. Friday, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. 301-991-4646 or www.bonanzaextravaganza.com.

MAY 10-11

ANTIETAM BREWERY 5K, BEER MILE & TACO MILE

Antietam Brewery, 140 Western Maryland Parkway, Hagerstown

The event will include a 5K road race for runners, walkers, and families, a 21-and-older Beer Mile, and a Taco Mile that’s fun for all ages. Races will start and end at Antietam Brewery with an after-party that will start at 11 a.m. and extend through the afternoon. Participants can sign up for more than one event since the three events do not overlap. Friday, 7 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 240-5134490 or www.antietambrewery.com.

MAY 18

JEFF SCUFFINS MEMORIAL 5,000 METER RUN

Near Oswald Park, 211 Prospect Avenue, Hagerstown

Jeff Scuffins (Scuff) was a well-established track and cross-country standout who graduated from North Hagerstown High School in 1980. Scuff was a Maryland state high school track champion. He earned two Junior College National Championship titles, then competed for Clemson University and went on to win the 1987 Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C. His course-record time of 2:14:01 still stands. Participants will compete on a certified 5,000 meter (3.1 mile) course that will require them to complete two laps. The kid’s race will start at 7:45 a.m. with the main event starting at 8:00 a.m. Sign up on various racing sites.

MAY 18-19

MARYLAND IRON FESTIVAL

Catoctin Furnace, 12610 Catoctin Furnace Road, Thurmont

Celebrate our region’s history as an early center for ironmaking at this festival featuring blacksmithing demonstrations, hands-on casting and molding demonstrations by

experts from Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, a live iron pour with hands-on activities with Keystone Ironworks, guided tours of the historic Harriet Chapel, children’s games and activities, live music, a beer and wine garden, food trucks, an artist and maker market, whimsical cannonball tosses and anvil-lifting contests, guided hikes in nearby Catoctin Mountain Park, and more. The Museum of the Ironworker will be open all weekend. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. www.catoctinfurnace.org.

JUNE 13

THE ULTIMATE ELVIS CONCERT

The Maryland Theatre, 21 S. Potomac Street, Hagerstown

The Ultimate Elvis Concert is an unrivaled multimedia production of The King of Rock n’ Roll’s career. Starring internationally acclaimed world champion Elvis tribute artist Cote Deonath, backed by the Infinit-E Tribute Band. This takes you back to key points of Presley’s musical career, with multiple costume changes that will have you guessing what is next. Elvis has been gone for more than 43 years, yet his music is timeless and remains a part of popular culture. 7:30 p.m. 301-790-3500 or www.mdtheatre.org.

JUNE 14

CULTURE & COCKTAILS: HISTORICAL DISTILLING PRACTICES

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

Join Nate Kraft, the owner of Pathfinder Distillery, as he shares the history of Maryland rye whiskey and local distilleries before and after the prohibition era. This month’s cocktail will be a drink featuring Pathfinder Whiskey. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and light hors d’oeuvres will be served. 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. 301-797-8782 www.washcohistory.org.

JUNE 14-15

PIRATES OF THE CHANNEL ISLANDS

Washington County Playhouse, 44 N. Potomac Street, Hagerstown

Who killed Captain Jack Peacock? A jealous lover? An ambitious shipmate? Someone after his booty? Speaking of which, what’s become of Jack’s booty? And how many times will we use the word “booty” to try to get a cheap laugh? Join the crew of the Galloping Grampus for rollicking pirate adventure of booty and murder on the high seas. 6 p.m. 301-739-7469 or www.washingtoncountyplayhouse.com.

JUNE 22

WILLIAMSPORT REDMEN

MUSIC FEST

Williamsport Red Men Lodge 84, 16129 Lappans Road #4049, Williamsport

This year there will be an amazing mix of country and rock bands. Not only will there be great music, great food, and lots of beer, there will also be vendors, specialty cocktails, jello-shots, yard games, horseshoes, and

gaming in the pavilion with our pull tabs. This event is family friendly. Kids 12 and under are free. There will be inflatables, face painting, kid options, and plenty of space to toss a Frisbee or a football. Noon to 9 p.m. 301-223-7785 or www.redmentribe84.com.

JUNE 30

ELLY COOKE

Red Heifer Winery, 12840 Red Heifer Winery Lane, Smithsburg Elly Cooke is a singer/songwriter from Pennsylvania. She began songwriting at the age of 11 and taught herself to play guitar at 14. Some of her influences include George Strait, Lauren Daigle, John Mayer, and Ed Sheeran. Elly has been performing for eight years and has opened shows for artists such as Chris Lane, Riley Green, Maren Morris, and Parker McCollum. She has performed her catchy, heartfelt songs on local radio stations and the television program Good Day PA. 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. 301-824-5210 or www.redheiferwinery.com.

Portraits for a Cause

By Jennifer Mellace

A local artist collaborates with celebrities to bring awareness to the work they do for humanitarian organizations

Author and humanitarian Sam Childers (aka the Machine Gun Preacher), Thaddeus Bullard (WWE Titus O’Neil), and other celebrities are part of local portrait artist Nicole Troup’s mission to bring awareness to her Portraits for a Cause project. Her most recent painting of actress Gianna Simone is bringing awareness to foster care systems just in time for Foster Care Awareness month—recognized each May.

While her artwork is part of private collections across the United States, Canada, and Great Britain, Troup’s home in Greencastle, Pennsylvania, is where she creates her portraits, which are mostly done in oils and acrylics. Troup started

Nicole Troup working in her Greencastle studio on a portrait of actress Madeline Carroll.

painting at a young age, taking private art lessons through her teens. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2008 and then began her career as a portrait artist and art instructor.

Portraits for a Cause began in 2016 when Troup collaborated with Childers to raise awareness for his organization Angels of East Africa (AOEA), a group that rescues children in Africa and builds orphanages to support those orphaned by war, famine, and more. Once a drug-dealing biker, Childers traveled to East Africa where he found God and turned his efforts to saving as many

kids as he could. His life was made into a Hollywood film, “Machine Gun Preacher,” staring Gerard Butler, Michael Shannon, and Madeline Carroll.

Moved by his story, Troup painted Childers and then made prints, which are autographed by him and sold to raise money for AOEA. “I was so inspired by stories of people overcoming faith obstacles and I realized that I wanted to use my gifts as an artist to share their stories so that they might help others,” says Troup.

Her most recent collaboration with Simone raises money for the Gianna Simone Foundation—an organization that provides rescue and support

to abused and neglected children and animals. “Simone, who was once in the foster-care system, now works to bring light on abused kids and animals, bringing them together to heal,” says Troup.

The portrait of Simone shows her in a gold and green gown, her hair is pulled back and she has a beautiful red flower tucked into her bun. The actual painting incorporates gold and silver leaf, which gives it a beautiful shimmer.

While most of us might imagine an artist painting a portrait of someone in real time, Troup works from still photos of her subjects and sometimes incorporates various objects that reflect their cause into the painting.

“The background of Sam’s portrait shows a machine gun, his Bible, and children running from danger,” she says. “And Mary Mallock is wearing an earring with a symbol that is the logo for her organization—Stand for Education.”

Mallock, who fled South Sudan with her mother and siblings during the war, is now a successful model, actress, and founder of her non-profit organization dedicated to empowering girls and providing access to education for underprivileged children in Africa.

“Symbolism may be visible or hidden within photo,” says Troup. “Sometimes collaborators will write directly on the painting, leaving an actual handwritten message.” Such is the case in the portrait of WWE wrestler O’Neil who raises money for Focus on the Family—a ministry dedicated to helping families thrive.

Troup’s next subject is yet to be named, but her project will continue. Until then, all Portraits for a Cause paintings and prints can be found on Troup’s website, including the most recently autographed Simone print (released on May 15). To learn more, visit www.nicoletroupmasterpiece.com.

A portrait of Gianna Simone painted by Greencastle artist Nicole Troup

The Next Chapter

As the Flying Boxcars take the field, can baseball slide into a spot as an economic driver of downtown Hagerstown’s revitalized economy?

By Jeff Thoreson

A team photo of the Hagerstown Owls in the 1940s. (From the Washington County Historical Society)

If ever a Major League baseball player achieved nothing more than footnote status, it was Thomas Charles Lipp. He made his Major League debut for the Philadelphia Phillies on September 18, 1897, and his final Major League appearance, well, less than an hour later that same day.

The brash 27-year-old righty took the mound that Saturday afternoon at Union Park in Baltimore as the starting pitcher and got rocked by Orioles hitters. In three innings he faced 19 batters, gave up eight hits, five runs (all earned), walked two, and his lone Major League highlight was his only strikeout. He left the game as the losing pitcher with an earned run average of 15.0 and never tasted the sweetness of a Major League field again.

The high hopes Lipp must have had for the day were well-founded. He was coming off a 10-2 season pitching for the Hagerstown Lions in the Cumberland Valley League, which he led in both wins and winning percentage on the strength of an impressive 1.54 ERA. And though his Major League career was as undistinguished as it could possibly be, he was one of the first

of many players who came through the Hub City on their way to the Major Leagues.

Hagerstown’s romance with professional baseball spans almost the entire history of the sport, and like most romances it has had its ups and downs. But the one thing that is undeniable is that the relationship has been colorful, entertaining, and vitally important to the community. In the periods when baseball is absent from our city, our community is less vibrant, both socially and economically.

Local baseball historian and author, Bob Savitt has researched how important baseball has been to Hagerstown.

“A theme of mine has been that baseball in areas like ours was more than a game,” Savitt said, who wrote the 2011 book The Blue Ridge League, in which Hagerstown had a team from 1915 to 1930. “It was part of our culture—an activity to view, discuss, argue about, cheer over, and, if you were skillful enough, to play. Moreover, in small communities like those of the Blue Ridge League, having a professional team was a source of communal pride that validated importance and standing.”

As time distances us from our history with the sport, important people, players, and facts about Hagerstown’s baseball history fade.

Forget that we no longer remember Lipp. Who remembers that Hall of Famer Willie Mays played his first professional game in Hagerstown? Or that Hagerstown’s James V. Jamison was an early executive not only in local baseball but on the national scene, serving on the commission that named Judge Kennesaw Mountain Landis the first commissioner of Major League Baseball? Or that night baseball was played under the lights in Hagerstown five years before the first night Major League game? Or that the Blue Ridge League run by Jamison and another Hagerstownian named Charles Boyer sent more players to the Major Leagues than any other Class D league?

There is no way to say for sure, but likely there is a very legitimate argument to be made that Hagerstown’s historical influence on baseball reaches far past that of any other city its size. And it goes beyond argument to become fact that baseball’s influence on Hagerstown has been essential to the way the city has developed. It seems abundantly clear that as the Flying Boxcars begin the next incarnation of professional baseball in the Hub City, the sport’s influence on the city’s future is essential.

Looking Back

The Western Maryland Historical Library tells us the Hagerstown Base Ball Club was holding meetings and playing “spirited contests” against teams from rival towns as far back as the Civil War. From those loosely organized teams, semi-professional teams established themselves in the later part of the 19th century and early 20th century in fledgling leagues like Tri City and Cumberland Valley. These teams established the city’s relationship with professional baseball, and stars like Lipp and his teammate John Gochnaur—who had a lengthier but no more exceptional Major League career—helped tie baseball to the community.

As the Flying Boxcars start to write the next chapter in the Hub City’s history with the sport, the team and the community owe a debt to the players of a previous era, when teams like the Lions, the Hagerstown Terriers, Hagerstown Champs, and Hagerstown Hubs established Hagerstown as a baseball city. The groundwork they laid has endured for more than a century, providing residents with a community focal point and the city with the elevated status that comes with being a professional baseball city.

That status has been missing for the last three seasons, though no fault of the community or its leader-

Above: A game scorecard from the 1951 Hagerstown Braves when the team was an affiliate of the Boston Braves. (From the collection of Bob Savitt) Below: From the 1948 season, an official scorecard. (From the collection of Bob Savitt).

ship. The Hagerstown Suns 40-year association with minor league baseball ended after the Covid-canceled 2020 season when the Washington Nationals did not renew their affiliation with the Suns. Then, Major League Baseball restructured its minor league system and did not invite the Suns to be an affiliate at any level.

In the last three years, the city has felt somewhat naked, losing its identity as a professional baseball town. That hurts from a status and social perspective, but it hurts even more from an economic perspective.

“It was devastating to fans,” says Dan Spedden, president of the Hagerstown/Washington County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. “Not only did we lose the team, we lost the sense of community we experienced every night at the ballpark. The immediate loss was social and economic. Hotels, restaurants, food and beverage distributors, gas stations, and convenient stores all lost customers or clients. The biggest blow was to the city’s reputation. When you lose a coveted minor league baseball team, as a city, are you moving forward or moving backward?”

Clearly the city is again moving forward, but would Hagerstown be in this position without players like Lipp and Gochnaur and even more so without executives and visionaries like Boyer and Jamison? As baseball’s popularity grew, not only locally but throughout the county, the sport became more formalized, and no individual was more important to that process in Hagerstown than Jamison. He was a natural athlete who gravitated to tennis, football, and baseball. He lettered in all three at St. John’s College in Annapolis, and his classmates named him the best athlete of the 1905 class.

Jamison had moved to Hagerstown with his family when he was 12 years old, and he returned after college to establish Jamison Cold Storage Door Company with his father in 1906. The success of the company, which is still based in Hagerstown, afforded Jamison the resources to take professional baseball from its loosely organized teams to quality leagues.

He was elected president of the semi-pro Tri-City League in 1914, then in 1916 became president of the Class D, Blue Ridge League, a league started by

Flying Boxcars former Major League player Abiatal Avelino.

Boyer, who owned the Hagerstown franchise. Jamison developed the Blue Ridge League into one of the finest Class D minor leagues in the nation, and he guided the league until its end in 1930.

Though his influence on the national level was significant, Jamison considered himself a local baseball man. He was the driving force behind building Municipal Stadium in 1930, although it coincided with the demise of the Blue Ridge League and the Depression, a double-whammy that must have left a collective feeling of helplessness. Without a professional team, Municipal Stadium hosted several Negro League games in the early 1930s, but that didn’t provide a rallying point for the community.

In 1941, Jamison came to the rescue when he persuaded Oren E. Sterling to move his Class B Interstate League franchise from Sunbury, Pennsylvania, to Hagerstown. Jamison eventually served as president of that league which gave Hagerstown new life in professional baseball. The Hagerstown Owls played in Municipal Stadium as an affiliate of the Detroit Tigers or the Chicago Cubs from 1941 to 1949, and then from 1950 to 1953 the Hagerstown Braves played as an affiliate of the Boston/Milwaukee Braves.

On June 24, 1950, the Trenton Giants were in town for a series against the Braves. A young player who skipped his senior prom in Alabama to take a train to Hagerstown showed up at Municipal Stadium to join

the Giants and that day Willie Mays played in his first game as a professional.

When Hagerstown’s affiliation with the Braves ended, a team from the Piedmont league moved to Hagerstown for two seasons, giving local fans a chance to see a pitcher named Pedro Ramos, who went 4-2 for the Hagerstown Packets in 1954. Ramos went on to win 117 games in a 16-year Major League career. The next season Bob Allison was Hagerstown’s star. He later hit 30 home runs for the Washington Senators in 1959 and was named American League Rookie of the Year.

But the Packet’s run in Hagerstown was short-lived, leaving the city without a minor league team for the next quarter-century.

The Suns Also Rise

After 25 years in the baseball wilderness, minor league ball returned to Hagerstown, although this time it was an out-of-towner who came to the rescue. Lou Eliopulos bought the Rocky Mountain Pines, a Class A franchise in the Carolina League, and moved the team to Hagerstown to play in Municipal Stadium. That began a lengthy, although somewhat turbulent, 40-year association with Major League baseball.

Throughout those four decades, owners and leagues came and went with regularity, but the Suns, regardless of leadership or league, remained

The Flying Boxcars have nine former Major League players on their roster, including Edubray Ramos and Mike Kickham.

in Hagerstown for four decades without a break in their tenure.

The Suns brought more baseball firsts to Hagerstown. In 1983, Jim Palmer made a start for the Suns on a rehabilitation assignment and remains the only Hall of Famer to play in Hagerstown. Although that may eventually change because in 2011, during the Suns’ affiliation with the Washington Nationals, the much-celebrated draft pick Bryce Harper made his minor league debut at Municipal Stadium—an unceremonious 0-for-3 night that included two ground outs, a strike out, and a walk.

In 1990 President George H.W. Bush attended a Suns game on the way to Camp David for the weekend. Bush, a huge baseball fan, was the first sitting president to attend a minor league game.

Professional baseball was again solidly a part of Hagerstown—until the pandemic. When the 2020 minor league season was canceled, everyone in Hagerstown thought it was just a temporary disruption. But at the end of that year the Nationals didn’t renew their affiliation with Hagerstown. Municipal Stadium was aging and in bad shape, which helped precipitate the final blow: Major League Baseball downsized the number of minor league teams and did not invite Hagerstown to affiliate with any team at any level.

“There was an impact to the economy when the Hagerstown Suns ended,” says Jill Thompson, director

The sun sets over the new Meritus Park where the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars begin the next chapter of professional baseball in the Hub City. (Jamie Turner)

of the City of Hagerstown Department of Community & Economic Development. “However, community efforts continued to bring baseball back with a new downtown facility.”

Adds Spedden: “There are maybe 140 minor league cities in America. It is a very elite fraternity and belonging paints a picture of a vibrant community. The commerce generated is worth millions.”

And Now for Something New

As much as baseball has meant to Hagerstown, the city is on the eve of what might be its greatest relationship yet with the sport. The Flying Boxcars take the field in the spanking new downtown ballpark as a member of the Atlantic League, a different version of minor league baseball. The league’s teams aren’t affiliated with a specific Major League team, meaning any team could buy the contract of any Atlantic League player.

“This will be the highest level of baseball that we’ve ever had in Hagerstown,” says Greg Snook, president and CEO of the Washington County Industrial Foundation (CHIEF). “A lot of players have prior Major League experience. Some may be working their way back from injury. Others didn’t make a Major League roster and are trying to play their way back to the big league.”

Nine of the Flying Boxcars players who started the 2024 season have Major League experience, including

infielders Abiatal Avelino and Curtis Terry, outfielders Eury Perez and Magneuris Sierra, and pitchers Mike Kickham, Jose Lopez, Parker Markel, Joe Palumbo, and Edubray Ramos.

While that will make for great evenings at the new Meritus Park, almost everyone associated with business and development in Hagerstown sees the Boxcars and the new stadium as one of the catalysts of the city’s current economic expansion.

“There has been momentum on downtown redevelopment for many years with projects like the University System of Maryland investment, the new construction of the Washington County Free Library, The Maryland Theatre expansion, and the Barbara Ingram School of Arts expansion,” says Thompson. “Since the announcement of construction of a new stadium, we are seeing growth in upper-floor housing and retail/ restaurant development. The ballpark is contributing to new investor confidence in downtown.”

The $90 million ballpark adds fuel to private-sector downtown investment. It has helped spurt residential projects like the redeveloped Updegraff Building, once a manufacturing site that now includes 21 urban-chic one- and two-bedroom apartments with street-level commercial space, that along with several other residential redevelopment projects underway or in the planning stages are changing the face of downtown life.

“When we announced the new stadium was being funded and built, the private investment really started pouring in,” says Jim Kercheval, executive director of the Greater Hagerstown Committee. “The stadium was done by the private sector by working through community business groups and state funding. This project was 100 percent funded by the state, which was the only way this project was going to happen.”

The stadium was a combination of hard work and good timing. For more than a decade there had been a movement to figure out how to replace the aging Municipal Stadium. While Covid canceled what would have been the Suns final season, it was also responsible for huge amounts of federal funds flowing to the states. Bonds for the Orioles’ and Ravens’ stadiums were dwindling, and since most of the Maryland Stadium Authority’s investment was around Baltimore, it seemed like a good time for a project in Western Maryland.

Clearly it was. Before the season began the stadium naming rights had been sold to Meritus. All eight suites had been sold and almost all of the stadium advertising had been sold.

So now, the moment of truth is here. The Boxcars are both the latest component of Hagerstown’s vibrant baseball history and the team to write its sanguine future. Let the games—and the writing—begin.

A 1991 team photo of the Hagerstown Suns. (From the Washington County Historical Society)

Poetry&

STRENGTH

A

By Jennifer Mellace

“Mental health? There are a lot of signs but no one wants to take them seriously until something drastic happens,” says 18-year-old Aspen Marie Griffith. “Mental health is talked about a lot more, but there still isn’t much help. And going through therapy doesn’t always help. People worry that what they say might get them institutionalized. That’s scary.”

young woman turns to poetry and boxing to help heal from childhood trauma

Griffith talks about the struggles with mental health with first-hand knowledge after losing a good friend to suicide in 2022 and as a survivor of years of mental and physical abuse. Today, she talks freely about her struggles because she has learned to cope with her past through the unusual mix of poetry and boxing, and the unwavering support of her father and stepmother. But the ability and strength to talk and help others took time.

A CHILDHOOD LOST

Griffith’s parents divorced when she was 3. “It wasn’t a good break up and my biological mom kept me from my father,” she says. “I didn’t see him often, and she put in my head that he didn’t want me and didn’t care about me.”

Aspen lived with her mother and grandmother but says she wasn’t happy.

When Aspen was 13, she started boxing to cope with the feelings she couldn’t talk about.

“When I was allowed to spend time with my dad we would bond over boxing,” she says. “This was my outlet, but my mom hated that this was something I shared with my dad and hated that we were bonding.”

Mike Griffith, Aspen’s father would spend every other weekend with his daughter.

“I tried to get her more, but her biological mother wouldn’t let me,” he says. He recalls Aspen being quiet when she visited with him and his wife, Stephanie. They thought she just didn’t want to be with them.

“We found out afterward that Aspen’s biological mother was telling her that we didn’t want her. Her mother was very manipulating and ruled Aspen out of fear,” says Mike Griffith.

The turning point came when Aspen’s mother kicked her out at the age of 14. “She told me she was tired of me and had no use for me anymore and dropped me at my dad’s house,” Aspen says. Three days later, she began receiving texts, emails, and Snapchat threats from her mother.

“She wanted me to come home and threatened to turn my father against me. I told my dad that I wanted to transfer schools. I wanted a new start,” she says.

At the time, Aspen’s mother still had full custody, so Aspen had to agree to therapy before anything could happen. By October 2019, a judge granted full custody of Aspen to her father.

“In the beginning, I visited my mother a couple times, but she tried to manipulate me, and I became severely depressed and anxious. By Christmas of 2021 I completely cut contact with her and that’s when things started to get better.”

A POET FOUND

Life was better living with her father and stepmom, Stephanie Griffith, who has since adopted Aspen, but she still had a difficult time talking about things. In fact, it wasn’t until the death of her friend that she started to open up.

“It was hard to process my emotions after my friend’s suicide,” she says. “I struggled with expressing myself because I wasn’t allowed to as a child. Therapy didn’t help, but boxing and writing did. I wrote poetry and decided that I would write a book about mental health and my struggles. I wanted to share my story to help people understand that we all struggle and go through things.”

Aspen has published two books of poetry—You Too Can Rise from the Ashes and With Love, released earlier

Aspen Griffith with the two books of poetry she wrote, You Too Can Rise from the Ashes and With Love.

this year. In her first book, Aspen shares how beautiful life can be despite the difficulties and challenges we all face, while the second book touches upon other people’s trauma.

“I’ve had people open up to me and so this book was less about me and more about other people’s loss, relationships, sexual assault, and suicide,” she says. “I never had a plan for my writing. I just want to help one person and, if that happens, then I’ve done all I need to do. I want to help people and relate to them and let them know they aren’t alone.”

Kristin Keelan, Aspen’s ninth grade English teacher is the one who helped Aspen find her voice through poetry.

“When I first met Aspen, she was friendly but quiet,” Keelan says. “She was an excellent writer, a good student, and boxing was such a big part of her life, and she was very humble about it all.”

One thing that always stood out to Keelan, was Aspen’s ability to connect with others.

“I’ll always remember when Aspen helped a fellow student who had low motivation and didn’t like school. She tried to help him, invited him to boxing. She was always trying to help others even with what she was going through. She still had room to give,” Keelan says.

Aspen’s stepmom has also experienced Aspen’s generous heart firsthand.

“My first marriage was an emotionally abusive one that I was able to get out of,” says Stephanie. “We both had trauma, and we were able to connect on a level that was more than I could have imagined. I couldn’t live without her. She has been a complete blessing from God.”

Aspen feels the same. “My stepmom is such a huge person in my life. She’s such a strong woman who has had struggles, too, and we both dealt with it. We saved each other.”

A FIGHTER THROUGH AND THROUGH

Aspen’s courage to speak up and connect with others happened through her poetry and her boxing.

“Once I was living with my dad full-time, I boxed every day. I loved it and wanted to pursue it as a career. Both my parents are so supportive. They’re always fighting and sparring with me. They’re a huge part of my career.”

Aspen trains at the Hagerstown Boxing Club and with a coach in Washington, D.C. Fighting under the name Team Phoenix, which represents renewal, she started competitive boxing in March 2022, has competed in four Junior Olympic matches, and plans to go professional by the end of 2024.

When asked if she would consider teaching boxing, she recalls a little girl who reached out to her.

“This girl was struggling in school and wanted to learn to box,” she says. “I started training her one-onone and could just see her confidence grow. I could see how much of an impact boxing has on other people’s lives. Eventually, whenever my boxing career ends, I would love to open up a gym for anyone of any age to come and have a safe place.”

When not boxing or writing, Aspen and her parents make up for lost time.

“We are making memories that will last a lifetime,” says Mike. “As mature as Aspen is, she still enjoys the little things in life, such as Easter baskets, acting funny, laughing, and just cherishing every little moment together and enjoying all the things about life.”

She’s also using her time to inspire those around her, including her parents.

“I’m supposed to be the one motivating her and inspiring her, and she’s the one motivating me to be a better father, husband, and person. Aspen is pure hearted, caring, kind, and truly loves helping people. That’s her number one goal in life, to help people in any way she can so they don’t have to go through what she did.”

Aspen would agree that her goal is to simply help others. She currently works as a substitute teacher and thrives on seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces when she comes around.

“Most of them have opened up to me tremendously, and it makes me feel as if I’m making a difference in their lives,” she says. “This has always been my life goal. I’ve always wanted to help people, whether it was through my writing, boxing, or teaching. As long as I can make a difference in even just a few people’s lives I think I would have done what I was called to do.”

Signifying renewal, Aspen Griffith boxes under the name Team Phoenix.

Turn Up the Volume

By Crystal Schelle

Hub City Vinyl’s new venue helps make downtown Hagerstown a music destination

If Hub City Vinyl has a mantra, it should be “business in the front, party in the back.” During the day, there’s a record shop in the front of the store where lovers of vinyl can peruse, but in the evenings, Thursdays through Sundays, it’s Live at Hub City Vinyl, a place where melophiles can enjoy live music.

Four years ago, husband and wife Lloyd and Sheree Thoburn lovingly renovated a former auto dealership at 28 E. Baltimore Street in Downtown Hagerstown, turning it into a record

Hub City Vinyl

28 E. Baltimore Street, Hagerstown

www.hubcityvinyl.com

Follow Hub City Vinyl on social media for information about the record shop and Live at Hub City Vinyl or find upcoming shows on the website

New York’s Finest, a Police tribute band, performs at Live at Hub City Vinyl.

shop that they opened at the beginning of the pandemic.

Three years later, they carved out space in the expansive building to make room for Live at Hub City Vinyl, which gives musical acts a professional stage to perform and helps move Hagerstown closer to being a music destination.

A RECORD SHOP IS BORN

“I bought and sold antique jukeboxes for years,” says Lloyd Thourn, who owns Coinopwarehouse. “And when we would buy the jukeboxes, we would often get boxes and boxes of the 45s from the jukebox operators. “

As he collected the 45s, which are sometimes referred to as seven-inch records, he says he was telling his wife he wanted her to come to work with him “because I missed her.”

Sheree was a former elementary school teacher who had left teaching and was at home while Lloyd ran Coinopwarehouse. For a time, Lloyd owned Game Room Garage, a vintage mall off Dual Highway in Hagerstown.

There, Sheree sold records in a booth, which gave her something to do and be closer to her husband.

“It was just a couple of tables with about 14 crates,” she says. “And it grew over a period of about three years.”

Because Lloyd continued buying and selling the jukeboxes, Sheree says they continued to have an influx of the seven-inch records, But once she started pricing, she found out that there was more interest in LPs or 12-inch records.

Meanwhile, Lloyd liked to buy and sell buildings because he enjoyed “seeing them come back to life.”

The former 24,000-square-foot Massey Ford auto dealership on East Baltimore Street just blocks from the Hagerstown Arts & Entertainment District had been vacant for many years. City officials wanted to find a new owner.

“This building was available from the city essentially for free,” he explains. “We bought it for $30,000, and they gave us a $30,000 grant.”

By this time, Lloyd says he had sold the mall. With Sheree’s record booth booming, they decided to move

the records to the renovated location, which they dedicated 8,000 square feet to the shop.

“I didn’t think we had enough records to fill it, but it filled really quickly,” he says.

The couple opened Hub City Vinyl in March 2020, one week before the government shutdown forced them to close their doors to the public.

Although it was devastating to a new business to shut its doors so quickly, Sheree sees it more as the pandemic gave them time to settle into the business. While they couldn’t see customers, the couple would make the daily trek from their Montgomery County home— where they still live today—to sort through the hundreds of boxes to inventory and price the records.

“It was actually a pretty peaceful two months,” she says. “We just beefed up our store inventory and waited for the shutdown to pass. It’s kind of a happy memory for me that we went for walks through the city in the afternoons, and it was very quiet. But it kept us in a routine. We were getting up, getting dressed, and going to work.”

By mid-May that same year, they hired a staff and were able to reopen. Today, Hub City Vinyl is the largest record store in the state.

A PLACE FOR LIVE MUSIC

While a portion of the square footage was sectioned off for the records, roughly 16,000 square feet of the building was unoccupied and used as storage for backstock of records and some overflow for Lloyd’s business. That unused space was perfect for what was needed downtown: an independent live music venue.

The pandemic had closed many music venues across the state. Once the pandemic rules were lifted, musicians could find some bars and wineries to

Hub City Vinyl is an intimate venue that holds up to 240 people but has a professional stage with lighting.

play, but there weren’t any venues that could support bigger acts.

“I’ve always enjoyed live music, and I thought that would be a great use for the space and a pretty good symbiotic relationship with a record store,” Lloyd says.

Sheree says they started off with Hub City Vinyl Back Porch concerts on Friday nights, and they did well, but it became a constant hassle to move crates of records around and set-up chairs to have the space for the shows. However, that didn’t sway them from their idea.

They knew, Sheree says, what the city was missing was a venue “that would be a step up from a local bar, but not so big and formal as The Maryland Theatre.”

They decided to clean out the space they wanted for the venue, reached out to an architect and a contractor, pulled permits, and built out the new section. They initially hoped to have it open by September, but like most renovations of an older building, there were some permitting issues to contend with. She says once they were solved, it went “pretty fast.”

The result was Live at Hub City Vinyl, which can hold up to 240 people. The stage has professional lighting and sound, an upgrade from the smaller-scale concerts.

Live at Hub City Vinyl’s grand opening was Nov. 10, with The High & Wides/Furnace Mountain.

Lloyd says the venue was a perfect addition, and they didn’t have to worry about parking because an easement allowed them to use the library’s parking lot. The venue has a full bar but only serves prepacked snacks.

The vision for Live at Hub City Vinyl is to bring in a variety of acts. Lloyd says he wants to bring in singer-songwriters who might not fill as many seats.

“But I’m also trying to highlight really strong, talented musicians,” he says. “We’re

doing some cover bands, but ultimately, I’d like to see more original music.”

Lloyd says the customer experience is “getting to hear extremely talented artists up close and personal in a pretty intimate environment.”

As they continue to book more and more acts, Sheree says it’s been an education in running a venue.

“We enjoy attending the shows and meeting the artists,” she says. “We’re learning about the business, stage lighting, acoustic and sound engineering, security, and running a bar. It’s all new to us. We’ve never been in the live music business. We’ve never been in the bar business. It’s all a steep learning curve for us.”

But with all the necessities of running a business, Sheree is enjoying the feedback from customers who have been raving about the intimate space and decor.

“There’s a great view no matter where you sit. There’s not a bad seat in the house. They like it. It’s an intimate venue where you feel close to the performers on the stage, wherever you’re seated,” she says.

And Lloyd has even bigger plans. Even with the addition of Live at Hub City, there is still enough room left in the building to house a second music venue.

The Thoburns are looking toward the future and are excited to see how their venue will continue to attract music fans and how it will help downtown Hagerstown.

“We’re just a mom-and-pop outfit trying to do something that will help revitalize downtown Hagerstown,” Lloyd says. “I’m thrilled with how much the city’s improving, and I’ve enjoyed being part of it.”

Jed Duvall brought his The McCartney Experience show to Live at Hub City Vinyl.

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Meat Eater Chic

By April Bartel/Photography by Turner Photography Studio

FBranded Chophouse in Boonsboro looks to corral music, brews, pizza, and serious steaks into one locale

ood is a basic need, but good food is a true pleasure. Pair that with good drink, good tunes, and good friends and you’ve got Branded Chophouse in Boonsboro. Fans of Vanish Farmwoods Brewery near Lucketts, Virgnia, may catch a familiar vibe. Both places are led by entrepreneur Jonathan Staples and charged with ebullient hospitality.

Open since November 2023 on Old National Pike, this oasis of steak is just the beginning. The imposing black structure welcomes guests into a sleek, airy dining room blended with enough natural textures and rustic décor to also feel warm and inviting. There’s plenty of richly grained wood counters with natural edging, leather seating, and implements from a farmhouse kitchen to set the scene, including a showstopper banquet table cut from an entire tree.

Jonathan Staples, owner of the Branded Chophouse in Boonsboro, shows off a perfectly cooked tomahawk steak.

Staples talks around a smile, “that was made by a guy in Cumberland, and it is just so cool.” It’s the perfect vantage point to watch the action in Branded Chophouse’s open kitchen.

During our visit, the chef hauled out a hefty haunch of cow and started breaking it down into individual steak portions. “We do a lot of that in house,” Staples explains. “The chef is a very talented guy. He was at Firestone’s in Frederick for a long time.”

Being open a relatively short time, Staples says the menu is still evolving. “We are learning what people like. We want to make it a place where it’s not just for special occasions.” He says keeping the offering fresh and lively is important. “Our goal is, if you come back two weeks later, it’s not exactly the same.”

One thing that is solid is their concept. Branded Chophouse, doing business as Beyond the Farm, LLC, is part of a grand vision. Just last month, Staples opened Vanish Hall onsite. The

Above: Guests at Branded Chophouse enjoy the farmhouse banquet table cut from an entire tree. Below: Cheesy French onion soup is a steakhouse staple.

event venue debuted April 30 with performance by Baltimore artists Cris Jacobs with The Larry Keel Experience. This is phase one.

“There’s going to be an il Forno Express here,” an outgrowth of another Staples’ partnership. He opened the Vanish tasting room on the “Golden Mile” with one of Frederick’s consistently high-rated eateries. Now the classic beer and pizza combo is coming to Boonsboro, too.

“We will add a Vanish beer hall and a Vanish brewery in a whole new wing… We’ll have at least three restaurant concepts inside.” And maybe a bourbon bar. “You could go if you want a nice cocktail and your friend can have a beer… Everything will be all-in-one. You’ll be able to open a tab and just go from place to place and carry your drinks because it’s all one space, under one license.” The vision, he says, is to create a neighborhood gathering place where you can celebrate when you’re happy or be cheered up when you’re down.

“Our goal was to open that other side in June, depending on construction, zoning, and permits. Additions are planned over the next few years.” Estimates put the grand space at about 21,000 square feet.

And the food?

The farm across the street and the building’s history inspired the chophouse concept. “The building was originally a cattle auction. Back where the stage is, in the music venue, that was where they would bring the cattle. It made sense to lean into the history of the place.”

From in-house, hand trimmed steaks to soups, salads, starters, desserts, and even a few veggie options, there is plenty to savor and explore. We can vouch for the chimichurri and steak starter. The dish arrived with a good portion of lean, meltingly-tender, two-bite chunks

The beef tenderloin filet with mashed potatoes and broccoli at Branded Chophouse.

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of steak tips with seared grill lines and barely pink middles, served alongside crispy potato matchsticks. It comes with a ramekin of mild, herbaceous sauce made from fresh parsley and oregano, red wine vinegar, and a hint of garlic. We paired that with a portion of mushroom risotto for a cozy, satisfying meal.

The rice was creamy and rib-sticking, with a trove of seared baby bella mushrooms that brought meaty notes to the dish. We hope the blistered shishito peppers with roasted red pepper aioli and fried sesame Brussel sprouts are on the menu next time too.

Customers also call out Branded Chophouse for crab dip, French onion soup, and their wedge salad too.

The prime rib is Staples’ favorite. That also comes as a handheld option with chopped prime rib, caramelized onion, and horseradish cream on brioche bun. The steak list hits the highlights with filet mignon, NY strip, ribeyes, and hangar steak, along with a pork chop option. There’s also a brunch with goodies like eggs Benedict, chicken and waffles, or the classic combo of steak and eggs.

And they are exploring local sourcing for ingredients. “We want to use things from within a 50-mile radius, to the extent we can,” Staples said. Luckily, he has a few connections that will translate to the new place from Vanish, which is sure to please fans.

The restaurant also gets good marks for its pricing. “You don’t have to be rich,” says Staples as a point of pride. “We want to be part of the town… Boonsboro is a beautiful place. It seemed a shame that when people come for the trails or other things, they end up going to Middletown or Shepherdstown for food.” With Branded Chophouse and Vanish Hall now open, he hopes adding such a destination will entice people to see all the town has to offer.

“I think people are going to like it.”

The farmhouse banquet table cut from a single tree is near the open kitchen at Branded Chophouse in Boonsboro.

Bianca Flores serves up a meal of salisbury steak and mashed potatoes.

Comfort Classics

By April & Andrew Bartel

Bonnie’s at the Red Byrd in Keedysville continues 66-year tradition of home-style cooking

Just inside the waiting area of Bonnie’s at the Red Byrd in Keedysville is a vintage newspaper page commemorating the restaurant’s grand opening in 1958. It is part of a collage that shows original photos of happy diners, postcards of its sister motel, and ads of the day touting blouses for $0.39. It’s a blast from the past.

A lot has changed since the original owners, David Olin and Julia Byrd, founded the original Red Byrd Restaurant. It is no longer bright red, and the motel is long gone. Luckily, a few important qualities endure, like a menu loaded with hearty, American fare at reasonable prices and a hometown

atmosphere that welcomes travelers and regulars alike.

Bonnie Hawker took over the place in 2011, channeling decades of restaurant experience into its revival while making it her own. The “new” fried chicken and crab cake recipes migrated with Hawker from her former eatery in Lovettsville, Virginia. These days, you can find her in the kitchen surrounded by mounds of ingredients, bubbling pots, and roasting pans laden with the likes of scratch-made mac and cheese or pork loin with sauerkraut.

“It’s a family business,” says Bonnie, explaining how she is supported by best friends, her godchildren, longtime employees, and generational customers.

It stands, then, that her menu is a hit list of comfortable, homestyle classics, but it is what’s on the tables that makes this place a standout. Guests can find old-school creamed chipped beef, country ham, fried oysters, or grilled liver and onions alongside T-bone steaks and fresh-cut pork chops—either grilled or breaded and fried. Breakfast at Bonnies means plate-sized hotcakes, corned beef hash with eggs, or savory sausage gravy.

Bonnie’s Big Byrd Platter comes highly recommended. It is two 1/3-pound fresh beef patties topped with American cheese on a three-tiered bun and dressed with Thousand island dressing, pickle relish, lettuce, and onion. It is speared with a steak knife to keep it standing tall.

We had to try the crab cake sandwich, which was served lightly browned on the grill with crinkle-cut fries and pickles. Hawker, who gets raves on her crab cakes from afficionados, shares its backstory while seasoning a batch of stewed tomatoes.

“I got a job at a little diner in Jefferson just as I turned 14,” Hawker says. When the employer left her in charge of cooking for a long weekend, she decided to get creative. Upon return, the

Above: Bonnie’s towering cheeseburger served with krinkle-cut fries, cole slaw, and pickles. Below: Salisbury steak with mashed potatoes and gravy and Bonnie’s specialty crab cakes at Bonnie’s at Red Byrd.

boss praised her effort and potential, offering encouragement that Hawker would serve it in her own restaurant one day. So, seeing guests enjoy it now is a particular point of pride.

We also tasted the fried clam platter and were impressed with the portion of crispy, succulent seafood bites. The golden corn fritters were heavenly, dusted with powdered sugar, and the steak and cheese sub was hefty, too, but we really looked forward to dessert. Daily choices are temptingly displayed in a case near the register.

Hawker chuckles devilishly, admitting that moving the tower of treats to a prime location was her idea. “You hear people in the line saying, ‘I know what I’m having for dessert’ before they even sit down,” she says.

We spied a richly frosted red velvet layer cake, a chocolate cream pie, and a cheesecake, but the lemon-berry mascarpone cake and caramel-drizzled apple pie were especially enticing.

Some folks mark their calendars for Bonnie’s Monday through Friday all-youcan-eat specials where guests can get their fill of a daily feature: fried catfish, spaghetti, roasted pork, or that famous fried chicken. Patrons can also order take-home quarts of pot pie on Wednesdays. The big draw is Bonnie’s holiday meals, including slow-roasted turkey or ham with pineapple. The staff expects to feed about 400 people for Mother’s Day.

“I love that community aspect,” says Hawker, who praises the local visitor’s center for keeping local companies and citizens connected. “They’ve been a big help to me here.”

As a patriot and a history buff, she’s happy to support veterans’ causes and feed the tourists that come to nearby the Antietam National Battlefield. “There’s nothing I believe in more than my community and my country,” she says. Her parting words are as enduring as her culinary style. “I just want people to know when they come here that they’re going to get fresh, home-cooked food.”

Above: Bonnie Hawker, seated and her Goddaughters Nikki Jardan (left) and Bianca Flores. Below: The diner counter at Bonnie’s at Red Byrd in Keedysville.

DINING GUIDE

28 SOUTH

28 S. Potomac St., Hagerstown, 240.347.4932

Locally sourced contemporary American fare. $–$$$

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 several 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. $–$$

BISTRO 11

13208 Fountain Head Plaza, Hagerstown, 301.733.2222

Relaxed and refined cuisine. Full menu of specialties, steaks, and seafood. $$–$$$

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 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. $–$$

BROTHER’S PIZZA

75 Eastern Blvd. N., Hagerstown, 240.625.9215

Fresh, fast, and affordable pizza, sandwiches, and Italian classics. $–$$

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. $–$$$

COLONIAL SPORTS BAR AND GRILL

14130 Pennsylvania Ave., Hagerstown, 240.203.6206

The best game-day food at the best prices around. $–$$

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. $

DISTRICT PROVISION & SUPPLY CO.

6 Rochester Place, Hagerstown, 301.791.1717

Open for breakfast and lunch, featuring gourmet sandwiches, salads, and soups. $

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. $

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. $–$$

GREENLEE’S FIRESIDE RESTAURANT & LOUNGE

1716 Underpass Way, Hagerstown, 301.733.4800

A full menu of steaks, seafood, and other American specialties. $$–$$$

THE GRILLE AT RUNWAYS

18421 Henson Blvd., Hagerstown, 240.707.6996

Traditional American dining with a quiet and relaxing view of the airstrip. $–$$

HAGERSTOWN FAMILY DINER

431 Dual Highway, Hagerstown, 240.707.6330

Great hidden gem of Hagerstown. $

HOFFMAN’S ALL AMERICAN GRILL

18203 Mason Dixon Road, Hagerstown, 240.707.6600

Casual dining at its finest featuring burgers, steaks, salads, and seafood. $$–$$$

HONG KONG CHINESE RESTAURANT

1075 Virginia Ave., Hagerstown, 301.733.1292

Veteran eatery serving familiar Chinese dishes in an informal setting. $$

HOUSE OF KOBE

757 Dual Highway, Hagerstown, 301.797.6979

Fine dining featuring sushi and hibachi cooking right in front of you. $$–$$$

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

HUB CITY DINER

190 Railway Ln., Hagerstown, 240.707.6638

Comfort food served hot and fresh in a family friendly atmosphere. $

HUMMUS MEDITERRANEAN GRILL

11205 John F. Kennedy Dr., Unit 108A, Hagerstown, 240.513.6020

A blend of authentic Mediterranean recipes with modern flavors. $–$$

J’S DINER

43 Eastern Blvd N, Hagerstown, MD 21740, 301.745.3091

Innovative breakfast destination for those in search of an unpretentious place to begin the day. Everything they offer is made from scratch, so you can feel good about what you’re eating. $$

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. $-$$

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. $$

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. $–$$

PHO VIET

1441 Wesel Blvd, Hagerstown, MD 21740, 301.745.5030

Dine in and carry out Vietnamese cuisine. Small venue but the portions are authentic and large. $

POKÉ & SUSHI

11347 Robinwood Dr. Hagerstown, 301.393.8833

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

PRETZEL & PIZZA CREATIONS

20 W. Washington St., Hagerstown, 301.733.7795

Calzones, sandwiches, hot dogs, and of course pizza featuring pretzel dough as the star. $–$$

PRIMANTI BROS.

17301 Valley Mall, Hagerstown, 301.228.0933

High-piled sandwiches equipped to quell the heartiest of hungers. $

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. $

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 $-$$

ROOSTER MOON COFFEEHOUSE

Longmeadow Shopping Center, 1551 Potomac Ave., Hagerstown, 301.790.5040

Fine coffee, espresso drinks, organic teas, with a full breakfast and lunch menu. $

SAKURA JAPANESE RESTAURANT

102 Railway Lane, Hagerstown, 301.393.8680

Part Japanese steakhouse, part sushi bar, featuring hibachi dining. $$–$$$

SARDI’S POLLO A LA BRASA

100 Railway Lane, Hagerstown, 240.382.1214

Casual Peruvian chain serving charbroiled chicken, ceviche, and other traditional dishes. $–$$$

SCHMANKERL STUBE

58 S. Potomac St., Hagerstown, 301.797.3354

Old World-style Bavarian dining with an emphasis on German traditions. $$$

SCHULA’S GRILL AND CRAB HOUSE

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. $$–$$$

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. $–$$

TACOS CARLITOS

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

TASTE OF REGGAE

40 E Washington St, Hagerstown, MD 21740, 240.513.1101

Authentic Jamaican restaurant specializing in made-to-order Caribbean and Jamaican food. Packed with flavor and cooked the way it is done in Jamaica. $$

TAQUERIA JALISCO AUTHENTIC MEXICAN GRILL

1037 Maryland Ave., Hagerstown, 301.797.2000

Authentic Mexican cuisine with the experience of being in Mexico. $

THE CRAB 99

116 Railway Lane, Hagerstown, 240.452.1937

Tasty seafood dishes with a wide range of flavors. Make your own seafood combinations. $$

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, May 1 and June 5

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.

Tuesdays, May 7 and June 4

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, May 7, 14, 21 & 28 and June 4, 11, 18 & 25

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, May 2 and June 6

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 Judy Fiery at 301.797.7373 or visit www.hagerstownparkinsonsupport.org.

Mondays, May 13 and June 10

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.

Mondays, May 13 and June 10

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, May 20 and June 17

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, May 21 and June 18

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, May 21 and June 18

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, May 9 and June 13

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, May 28 and June 25

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.

grow-it-all

Gardening advice from horticulturist Deborah Smith Fiola

Deborah Smith Fiola is a professional horticultural consultant who lives in Keedysville. A former university professor/ Extension agent, she has a B.S. in horticulture and an M.S. in entomology/ pest management (from the University of Maryland). Email your questions to: landscapeipm@gmail.com.

Disclaimer:  Theinformationpresentedinthiscolumn maycontainculturalandpesticiderecommendations thataresubjecttochangeatanytime.Theserecommendationsareprovidedonlyasaguide. Itisthereader’sresponsibilitybylawtoreadand followalllabeldirectionsforanyspecificpesticide orproductbeingused. Duetoconstantlychanging labelsandproductregistrations,ifanyinformation hereindisagreeswiththelabel,therecommendations mustbedisregarded. Theuseofbrandnamesand anymentionorlistingofcommercialproductsor servicesinthiscolumndoesnotimplyendorsementby LandscapeIPMEnterprises,nordiscriminationagainst similarproductsorservicesnotmentioned. Landscape IPMEnterprisesassumesnoliabilityfromtheuseof theserecommendations.

The Frenzy of Spring

May is the busiest month of the year for gardeners. The vegetable garden, landscape, and lawn all cry for attention at once. (Lawns are mowed more in May than any other month, BTW). It’s hectic juggling garden needs with other activities, but so worth it.

The vegetable garden gets top billing this month. Make certain to acclimate (“harden off”) transplants and seedlings before planting. Don’t skip this step, since both greenhouse-grown and your own indoor grown “babies” have been pampered thus far. Otherwise, sudden total outdoor exposure shocks them, causing delays in growth and fruiting (and sometimes death).

Initially, move transplants and seedlings outside to filtered sun an hour per day, then moving to shade; bringing them inside at night or if strong winds or heavy rain is in the forecast. Gradually increase exposure to full sun (and nights over 50 degrees) over one to two weeks before planting.

Plant most warm-season veggies now, since our 50 percent frost threat is now earlier than Mother’s Day. Keep double-checking the weather. If the night temperature falls below 45 to 50 degrees, cover delicate plants for the night. Use row covers, tarps, blankets, drop cloths, cardboard. Make sure you uncover plants in the morning.

Nevertheless, delay planting eggplant, melon, pepper, squash, and pumpkin transplants. Seriously. These just sit in misery if the soil isn’t warm (70 degrees). Wait to plant these until mid- to late-May (two to four weeks later than other plants), once day/night temps stay above 70/55 degrees. Also, reconsider planting yellow squash and pumpkins, because they are magnets for deadly squash bugs and vine borers. If not convinced, choose somewhat resistant varieties like Butternut, Royal Acorn squash, ‘Sweet Cheese’ pumpkin, and Green Striped Cushaw. I’m super impressed with ‘Tromboncino’ squash (‘Zucchetta’, ‘Climbing zucchini’, ‘Trombone squash’). It yields exceptional and very tasty long fruits and resists both insects. Use ‘Tromboncino’ as a sub for zucchini and yellow squash. Pick them small (six to eight inches; they’ll grow to 24 inches) and use a trellis. (Seeds: reneesgarden.com).

While you’re trellising, grow cucumbers, gourds, and melons vertically as well. You’ll get a bigger harvest than if grown sprawling on the ground.

I’m often asked to suggest a good spring flowering tree for a Mother’s Day gift (hint, hint). I prefer pestfree plants, therefore flowering Dogwood doesn’t make the cut. Why? Because native dogwoods grow along the woodland edge, in dappled light and moist soil. When planted in a lawn, in dry, droughty construction soil under hot, full sun conditions, they tend to wilt, decline and die young.

Instead, the tougher KOUSA dogwood (“Korean dogwood”) is more tolerant of poor soil, drought, and full sun, and it’s highly pest resistant. The 15-to-30-foot trees bloom in mid-late May, persisting for weeks. The blooms are followed by fat red berries in August and September.

Even better are the hybrid crosses between flowering dogwood and Kousa dogwood, which retain the good qualities of both. Try these for prolific flowers: ‘Aurora,’ ‘Constellation,’ and ‘Saturn.’

Other recommended flowering trees for late spring bloom include White Fringetree (showy white plumes look like Santa’s beard), Magnolias (try Sweetbay magnolia for shady wet sites); American Yellowwood (fragrant white hanging flower clusters); Styrax (Snowbell), and Stewartia (“Summer camellia,” prefers shade).

Like spring cleaning, I’ve reorganized this column to fit in more concerns. Let me know what you think?

Fostering Love

Some 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!

a dose of satire

Each issue Kenneth Buckler offers a satirical look at some aspect of Washington County. This time he looks at some interesting agricultural aspects.

COUNTY

AGRICULTURE SETS NATIONAL AND GLOBAL RECORDS IN 2023 (LOL)

Agriculture is one of the largest industries in the Hagerstown and Washington County area. With 119,248 acres of farmland in the county, it’s important to highlight some of the recent achievements from this historic staple of industry.

World’s Largest Choreographed Dancing Chicken Performance Dusty Acres in Halfway set a world record for their choreographed dancing chicken performance to the tune of “Hello! Ma Baby” with a whopping 213 chickens perfectly synchronized in their dancing steps. For added dramatic flair, each chicken had a top hat and overcoat.

Nation’s Largest Crop Sculpture of a Musician Windyward Farms in Clear Spring set the nation’s record for the largest crop sculpture of a musician this past October, with a massive 10-acre corn sculpture of Rick Astley. Promising to “never give up” on their efforts to continue to set records, this upcoming year the farm plans an even larger crop sculpture of the Western Maryland cryptid, the snallygaster.

World’s Longest Purple Cucumber A long time coming, Biggie Greens Farm in Boonsboro grew a purple cucumber with a massive length of six foot three inches. The especially challenging part of this accomplishment was achieving the purple hue of the cucumber, requiring multiple years of planning and experimentation with grafting the cucumber plant to various other plants, including radishes, eggplant, and even an elderberry bush.

State’s Largest Freshwater Tuna The fish hatchery near Hagerstown set a new record with the state’s largest freshwater tuna. This amazing fish grew to a length of eight feet and was estimated to weigh 300 pounds. The tuna was released into the Potomac River near Dam 5 and has already caused many locals to begin rumors of a “sea monster” residing in that area.

Nation’s Largest and Heaviest Spotted Cow Egg Talltail Dairy near Smithsburg really laid a big one with their record setting six-pound, 12-inch circumference spotted cow egg. However, it is important to note that this record may not be upheld, as Talltail Dairy was involved with a scandal in 2019 in which they painted an ostrich egg to appear to be a spotted cow egg. So as always, don’t count your eggs until they hatch.

World’s Largest Collection of World Leader Vegetable Lookalikes Turn-rip Garden Market in Hancock set a world record for “the most world leader lookalikes grown in a single season” this past year. The remarkable collection of 54 world leaders, including the president of the United States, Canadian prime minister, king of the United Kingdom, and the president of Chile, spans the globe across every continent, except, of course, for Antarctica. It’s cold in Antarctica and there’s no government there, because politicians don’t like to keep their hands in their own pockets.

With all of these amazing accomplishments in the past year, we can’t wait to see what innovative records Washington County’s agriculture industry sets in 2024.

No farmers attempted to pass ostrich eggs off as cow eggs while writing this article (and none of the other stuff is true either). Thisisasatire articlebyKenBuckler.