"With teenagers often getting a bad rap today, I would like to say how proud I am of my granddaughter, a junior at Smithsburg High School, for giving blood to the American Red Cross this week. I understand that quite a few students and teachers donated blood. Congrats, guys."

"We in Boonsboro love our little town because it's quiet, safe, friendly and prideful. Yes, we had a major fire happen, but now, this week, operations are back to usual. In fact, I went to the bookstore in town, a restaurant in town, and to the library today, and everybody was just going about business as usual. So don't feel sorry for us. We'll rebuild and we will be stronger than ever. We are not fearful. We look forward to all of you coming to visit us for Boonesborough Days this coming summer." - Boonsboro

"I love reading in Mail Call about the crazy drivers, so I have an experience to pass on. Coming across Interstate 70, a woman almost sideswiped me. I was clearly in my lane. I looked over at her as I swerved to get away from her. She was dialing her cell phone. And then coming down Md. 65, someone, in their infinite wisdom, was parked crossways in the southbound lane waiting to get in the northbound lane of Md. 65. This caused a real mess." - Hagerstown

"I'm calling in reference to the fact that we are faced with this 6 percent sales tax, and do the citizens of Maryland realize that the companies that collect this sales tax - i.e., Wal-Mart, Kmart, etc., etc. - get a .07 percent kickback from the State of Maryland if they send in their sales tax. I think it's appalling. Instead of increasing the sales tax, why didn't we eliminate the kickback? The State of Maryland calls it an incentive. To me, it's a kickback." - Keedysville

"At the debate the other night, Hillary Clinton whined about always being asked the questions first. If she would be elected president, wouldn't she always be asked questions first, at a presidential press conference? I think she just proved she couldn't handle it." - Hagerstown

"Yes, property taxes are going up. How can the taxes go up when they assess according to the value of your property? Now some people's taxes are going up $300 for county and state, and some are going up more, and some are going up less. Anyways, there has to be something that can be done. If your house was valued at $400,000 two years or three years ago, now it's worth $200,000, and the taxes didn't go down, they just keep going up. Something's got to be stopped." - Hagerstown

"For seven years, George Bush told us about how his tax cuts for the rich would help all Americans, and help our economy. He talked about how our economy was growing stronger by the day. He talked about more people owning their homes. Well, seven years later, we all know what that meant: Absolutely nothing. Foreclosures are at a record high. People are losing their homes quicker than they can buy them. The economy is going down the (drain.)" - Sharpsburg

"I see in Wednesday's paper where the City of Hagerstown is going to sell homes that they bought off the taxpayers' money. They're going to take a 25-percent reduction off the assessment price, assessments of the house. Is the City trying to tell me, as a city taxpayer, that the City assessed my house and everybody else in Hagerstown 25 percent higher than what it should be? Because if you're buying these houses and you're selling them and not making a profit ... I think The Herald-Mail should put it in there how much you pay for the houses and how much the houses are." - Hagerstown

"I'd just like to say congratulations to the Boonsboro girls' J.V. team - see that it was in Mail Call listed that this was the best record in history, but you might want to check the team coached by Phil Aversa in about 1983, that was actually 18 and 0 and undefeated for the season. So although this team did very well, they didn't have the best record in J.V. history." - Boonsboro

"U.S. home prices dropped 8.9 percent in the final quarter of 2007, compared with a year ago, according to the Standard & Poor Case-Shiller home price index released yesterday. That marked the steepest decline in the index's 20-year history, but yet tax assessments aren't going down." - Sharpsburg

"If the far-left liberals are one step away from communism, who were the people who failed to serve during the Vietnam war? Which president went to a communist country and supported a trade deal? Huh." - Hagerstown

"If gas and food prices keep rising, the word 'vacation' will just be a thing of the past." - Funkstown

"I am thankful for Homeland Security's U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement work, as well as the Border Patrol and local law enforcement for being daily heroes who war against drugs, human trafficking, weapons, gangs, sexual predators, terrorists and other criminals. But I wish that Congress would get it together and update our 1978 foreign spying capabilities. We are not safe without it being high-tech." - Hagerstown

"I saw the article that the liquor board denies the license because the person who wanted to open the store failed to provide sufficient evidence that one was needed at the corner of Robinwood. Tell me where in Maryland there is a need for a liquor store at all. We already have way too many liquor stores and too many bars. No wonder there's such big increase in alcoholism and drunken driving. And no, I'm not a MADD member. I'm married to an alcoholic. The city makes it too easy to obtain alcohol." - Hagerstown

"Have the County Commissioners no common sense? When the citizens of Washington County have been hit with a 40 percent increase in the assessments on their homes (while Frederick County has only a 27 percent increase) and the tax session of the legislature has practically guaranteed that no company will be interested in locating in Maryland, they want to spend on property in downtown Hagerstown - this in addition to all the perks the sheriff's department and BOE keep requesting. Enough is enough. It's time for the people to protest all this increase in county government. It's time to use some common sense."

"I would like to know the process in the state of Maryland that allows 37 cents on every taxpayer's dollar collected go to Baltimore City. It'd be good to put an article about it." - Little Orleans

"To the person from Smithsburg that dislikes the Eastern Shore so much: I have a remedy for you. Stop going." - Smithsburg

"Let's see - when George Bush took office, the country was in the black, and gas was $2.15 a gallon. Now the country's a trillion dollars in debt - a trillion - and gas is $3.20. They said by the end of the year it should be around $4. You're right. It isn't George Bush's fault. It's my fault." - Hagerstown

"I see in Mail Call that somebody says they can't believe the County Commissioners and City Council, or whatever, wants to spend $5 million on real estate. I can believe it. You see, local politicians are not there for the local taxpayer. That's been obvious for the last 10, 15 years. Otherwise, they would not have their head in the sand, and they would know that many people in this area did not get a raise this year, and those that did only got 1 or 2 percent - except for the teachers, of course. States here will claim they're not making enough, because teachers are going somewhere else, so one state will raise it, then the next year the next state will give raises, the next state, and so on. It's a scam. Seven percent, when we get nothing. My company gave nothing." - Hagerstown

"This is in response to those objecting to taxpayers' money being used to assist in the fire aftermath for the hotel owned by Nora Roberts in Boonsboro. Granted that her workers contributed to the fire, due to accidental breaking of a valve on a propane tank; however, Nora Roberts to my knowledge has requested no taxpayer funds. It is the politicians falling over each other."

"Could somebody please tell me, what's the purpose of the fence that they're putting up out around the area where they're building the new hospital? It's like three feet tall. You could step right over it. I mean, what are they trying to keep out of there, toddlers? I mean, they could even get over it. But anyway, could somebody respond to this, please?" - Hagerstown

"Oh, right, sign me up for that great tax relief for seniors bill that cleared the West Virginia Senate. I really at my age want the stress and the problems of going into debt in my old age, because this is a death tax. I really want a lien on my house. That sounds good to me, and my kids, if I pass away, they have to pay this lien, and this is supposed to do me any good? The only reversal I want to see is when the election time comes around and Unger and Manchin are out."

"I just passed five cars, and two had the handicapped placards in their windows. Does anyone know why these people run around with those in their windows when that is not the law, it is to be out of your window, except for when you're parked? Someone needs to tell them, before these people who evidently don't know the law and don't read their insert in that get a big fine." - Washington County

"This senior center sounds great, but we can't afford it. These people who want it should get some millionaires to give private funds. I live in the county. Our house taxes are high enough. Our health insurance premiums are too high. The school teachers are paid much more than West Virginia. Some people are generous with other people's money."

"What is really wrong with this country are these career politicians (and Supreme Court Justices), who should not be allowed to run after a certain age or number of terms. I mean, if they haven't done anything decent with their office in 50 years, they should not be allowed to stay in office or keep running. We need someone sharp, and with the times, not senile due to advanced age. I'm tired of paying for these 'expired' politicians who, in any other job, would be forced to retire." - Sharpsburg

"I'm calling about the letter in the Wednesday's Mail Call of the retired, 100 percent disabled veteran in Clear Spring. He said he was unable to vote because he couldn't get to Conococheague school to vote. I'm a disabled veteran, and there's such a thing called absentee ballots, and they're very easy to fill out and you put them in the mail and you've voted. I just thought maybe you could run that." - Hagerstown