Published: August 12, 2007 11:13 am         

School football tabs to kick off next week

Are you ready for some football? Local high school, football, that is.

Well, we’re here to help. Beginning next Sunday, the Times-News will publish 11 separate local football sections, plus a brand new section — 22 Players to Watch For in 2007.

Our pre-season coverage starts with the Hampshire High Trojans section on Aug. 19.

The rest of the publication schedule is:

* Moorefield Yellow Jackets, Aug. 20

* Petersburg Vikings, Aug. 21

* Frankfort Falcons, Aug. 22

* Keyser Golden Tornado, Aug. 23

* Bishop Walsh Spartans, Aug. 24.

* 22 Players To Watch For in 2007, Sept. 1.

* Southern Garrett Rams, Sept. 2

* Northern Garrett Huskies, Sept. 3

* Mountain Ridge Miners, Sept. 5

* Allegany Campers, Sept. 6

* Fort Hill Sentinels, Sept. 7....

Our editorial last Sunday criticized the Cumberland mayor and council for planning closed-door interviews of 11 candidates for a city council seat. The editorial noted that when Frostburg had a similar situation two years ago, the process was done in public view.

In fairness, that is only partially true. Frostburg had a closed process until its eight-candidate list was pared down to two people. From there, it opened the process to the public and to the press.

While that is not optimal, it is still better than the entirely secret process Cumberland apparently is intent on taking.

It makes you wonder what Cumberland officials could discuss that you or I should not know about?....

If you have been checking the Times-News Web site only once a day, you might want to have a look more often. We’re updating the site (www.times-news.com) more frequently each day as breaking news occurs.....

Hagerstown, like Cumberland and the overwhelming majority of cities in the U.S., will soon be a one-newspaper town. The Herald-Mail Co. said it will merge The Morning Herald and The Daily Mail, an afternoon paper, into a morning newspaper to be called The Herald-Mail. The last afternoon paper will appear Friday, Sept. 28, and the first combined weekday paper will be published Monday, Oct. 1.

It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly 20 years since the demise of the Cumberland Evening Times. The last evening paper published by the Times & Alleganian Company was Jan. 29, 1988....

As everyone knows, school security is a big concern. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the latest fad in school security is to require students to only use clear or mesh backpacks. Cloth backpacks have to be stored in lockers once the students arrive in school.

Students in Philly are not happy. One group called “Hell No I’m Not Wearing a See-Through Backpack” is circulating petitions, wearing protest T-shirts, and planning a “day of silence” when school opens....

More silly spending by FEMA — the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The agency plans to spend $1.1 million to notify 2.2 million disaster aid recipients that FEMA will be releasing their address to the media. The records are being opened in response to a lawsuit filed by Gannett newspapers and others. The press wants more information about how FEMA distributed more than $1.2 billion in disaster aid during the 2004 hurricane season....

The latest U.S. Census Bureau figures, based on 2006 statistics, show the Cumberland metro area among several “cold” growth areas in the nation. The Cumberland region went from a 2000 population of 102,008 to a 2006 census of 99,759, or a 2.2 percent drop.

Some of the others in the “cold” zone are Cleveland, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, Charleston, W.Va., Ocean City, N.J., Hutchinson, Kan., and Aberdeen, S.D. Among “hot’ areas are Roanoke, Harrisburg, Pa., Boston, Baltimore, Chattanooga and Hartford, Conn....

Seen on the Internet — More mostly useless facts:

* Telly Savalas and Louis Amstrong died on their birthdays.

* Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated.

* Two-thirds of the world’s eggplant is grown in New Jersey.

* A standard Slinky measures 87 feet when stretched out.

* The average lifespan of an eyelash is five months.

* The most common street name in the U.S. is Second Street.

* The Minneapolis phone book has 21 pages of Andersons.

Jan Alderton is managing editor of the Cumberland Times-News. His email address is jpalderton@times-news.com.