Published: February 26, 2009 10:25 pm      

Cleanup, fix-up will be early

The Day of Caring and Sharing in Cumberland and Frostburg will be held several months early this year.

Usually held in September, the event has been moved to Saturday, May 2, in Frostburg, and Friday, June 5, in Cumberland.

Hundreds of volunteers fan out in the two cities to conduct cleanup and fix-up projects.

Individuals or groups interested in helping may contact Michele Walker at mwalker@all-conet.org or Marilyn McKenzie at mmckenzie@allconet.org....

Daylight-saving time returns next Sunday at 2 a.m. when clocks are set forward one hour.

The change will save national energy use 1 percent per day, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

By moving clocks forward one hour, the sun sets one hour later, decreasing the time between when the sun goes down and when most people go to bed. Since one-fourth of a household’s energy is used in the evening when it is dark, DST is aimed at minimizing energy use during those peak hours....

Although the former Value City building in Cumberland remains vacant, the one in Altoona, Pa., has found a new use. Altoona Alliance Church is planning to occupy the former store on Pleasant Valley Boulevard....

Only three West Virginia counties have a chance to meet the 180-day mark for school instruction this school year, according to state officials. Kanawha, Berkeley and Hardy counties appear to be on schedule for meeting the quota, while the other 49 counties will fall short because of weather-related closures.

Gov. Joe Manchin is proposing more flexibility for counties to meet the 180-day mark by removing the mandated Aug. 26 start-up and June 8 end dates for schools....

Gov. Martin O’Malley is supporting a bill that could bring speed cameras to a location near you.

The legislation would have the cameras installed in work-zones and on expressways and highways across the state with speed limits of at least 45 miles per hour limits. The motivation is not only safety, but money. Last year, speed cameras brought in more than $2 million in extra revenue in Montgomery County.

Meanwhile, cameras of a different sort are being utilized in many parts of Cumberland. The Cumberland Police Department lists 27 surveillance cameras in use, with another three to be installed soon inside City Hall.

While most of the cameras are in the downtown area, several are in use in North End and South End neighborhoods....

Slot machine gambling is going full-bore at Charles Town Races & Slots. Since the beginning of the fiscal year on July 1, the 5,013 machines have produced more than $250 million in adjusted gross terminal income, according to a West Virginia Lottery Website.

There are no plans for table games, however. Voters rejected table games such as poker, roulette and blackjack in a 2007 referendum.

While supporters of gaming expansion could again petition to matter to referendum, there appears to be know move in that direction at this time, according to the Hagerstown Herald-Mail....

Seen on the Internet — Funny quotes about work:

• If hard work is the key to success, most people would rather pick the lock.— Claude McDonald

• Working gets in the way of living.— Omar Sharif

• I like work; it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours. — Jerome K. Jerome

• The reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more. — Jonas Salk

• In 50 years, he never worked a day. To him, nine to five was odds on a horse. — Carroll O’Connor as Archie Bunker

• Ham and Eggs — A day’s work for a chicken; A lifetime commitment for a pig. — Anonymous

Jan Alderton is managing editor of the Cumberland Times-News. Contact Jan Alderton at jpalderton@times-news.com.