Letters to Santa deadline Tuesday

CUMBERLAND — The deadline to send Letters to Santa to the Times-News is Tuesday.

Letters and photos should be e-mailed to graphics@times-news.com or mailed to Cumberland Times-News, Letters to Santa, P.O. Box 1662, Cumberland, MD 21501-1662.



LEGO League teams compete today

ACCIDENT — Northern Garrett High School will host a FIRST LEGO League qualification tournament today at 9 a.m. with six teams from Garrett County and two from the Hagerstown area.

Winning teams in the four judging areas and the overall tournament champion will be invited to compete at the Maryland State FLL Championship in January. Garrett Container Systems Inc. of Accident is sponsoring the event.

This will be the first time for an event like this to be offered in Garrett County. In the past, FLL teams had to travel to the Baltimore or Pittsburgh areas to their tournaments. FLL coach Sandy Rodeheaver is the coordinator of the local event.

FIRST LEGO League teams consist of up to 10 students from 9 to 14 years old. Teams design and build a completely autonomous robot over an eight-week period to tackle various challenges.

Only LEGO components can be used to build the robots. Teams must complete a research project related to the theme of the year and present their project to a panel of judges during the day of competition.

This will be the eighth year that the Garrett County Board of Education has been sending FIRST LEGO League teams to various regional, state and world competitions.

For more information, log on to www.nh.ga.k12.md.us or call (301) 616-3231.



Mineral student hearings set

KEYSER, W.Va. — The Mineral County Board of Education will conduct 10 student expulsion hearings for the students who were suspended in connection with recent bomb threats as part of its meeting that begins at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the board office at 1 Baker Place.

The hearings are scheduled from 5:45 until 8 p.m. and are held in closed session. The superintendent will make recommendations following the hearings, which will be held in groups of two to three students at a time.

The agenda also includes an item from the Instructional Materials Adoption Committee and personnel placements and transfers.



Republicans meet Tuesday

CUMBERLAND — The Allegany County Republican Club will meet Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at the Allegany County Library, second floor, Washington Street. Dr. Jong Kim, Advanced Diagnostic Radiology, will speak on the proposed health care reform.

The election of 2010 officers will be held and voting is open to all paid members.