John P Donoghue

COMMENTARY: The first rays of sun beamed down on Jan. 1, 2011, in what would become known in Washington County as the Year of the Roundabout — a perfect symbol for the greater Hagerstown area, which spends much of its time going around in circles....

Washington County Democrats on Thursday welcomed two potential Democratic candidates for governor and Congress. Howard County Executive Ken Ulman, considered to be a possible 2014 gubernatorial candidate, spoke at the annual Washington County...

It cost about $96,000 to shelter, feed and transport eight state lawmakers representing Washington County during the last legislative session in Annapolis. All eight members of the Washington County delegation to the Maryland General Assembly were...

Maryland State Sen. Christopher B. Shank wants the state to renegotiate a proposed lease for a company to build a $70 million solar farm on prison land near Hagerstown. His complaint is the lease price: $128 an acre per year, which he says is...

Maryland Solar LLC this week received the waiver it needs from the Maryland Public Service Commission to begin construction on a $70 million, 20-megawatt solar farm by the end of this year. State law requires the filing of an application for a...

Christopher B. Shank said his strongest feeling about the debt-ceiling battle in Washington, D.C., is as an American citizen, not as a Maryland state senator. “I am deeply frustrated at both sides at their inability to get the job done,”...

Through redistricting, Washington County's delegation might shrink by 25 percent in about three years. Every 10 years, after the U.S. Census measures the nation's population, Congressional and legislative districts are redrawn to reflect the changes. In...

Powell missed the mark in ‘Countervailing Power’ column To the editor: Allan Powell’s March 20 column states, “... there is ample evidence from history to warrant a studied control of government,” yet tells us we need an...

As the Maryland General Assembly moves closer toward pressing the governor on parole recommendations, two local Republicans are on opposite sides of the debate. The House of Delegates has passed a bill that would force the governor to act within 90...

Pension reform efforts are ongoing To the editor: During the 2010 legislative session a commission was formed to study pensions and retiree benefits.  In December, the Commission released an interim report outlining significant problems, and...

A Washington County student asked state lawmakers Wednesday to consider mandating a student representative on the local school board. Steven Wang, who attends North Hagerstown High School, is the Washington County Board of Education's student member....

A lone D among the R’s   The right side of the Maryland Senate chamber is Republican territory. But nestled in among the section where the Senate’s 12 Republicans sit is a single Democrat: freshman Ronald N. Young, who represents parts of...