"Just wondering why when we captured the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq, it was buried in the middle of the paper. This should have been front-page news, but I guess any good news concerning our country and the war effort will be buried by the media."

"I appreciate the convenience of recycling items behind the Funkstown Fire Hall. Each time I go there, however, I find items in the bins which are clearly not authorized. A sign on the newspaper bin states that no cardboard is acceptable, yet I always see dozens of cardboard boxes inside. One time someone had the gall to throw in a television set. These are not designated for trash. I wonder about the mentality of the people who disregard the rules so blatantly. Do they think they are getting away with something and it gives them a thrill? Are they just lazy and don't want to go to the dump? Or is it that they can't read?"

"The Americans are making China very rich. If Wal-Mart and all these other outfits would quit ordering things and importing things from China and everything would be made in America, China would not have near the wealth that it has now. That's the American way, I guess, so." - Williamsport

"Policies, like laws, are supposed to be followed. However, ever since Mrs. Brightman was appointed to the BOE, it seems that policies have been suspended or reversed at whim. Yes, if a policy is outdated or inefficient, it should be changed, but it is wrong to change a policy after the fact just to soothe someone's ego, as in the case of whose name goes on which school plaque." - Hagerstown

"To everyone who complains about everything being made in China: Read your labels where it was made. Just don't shop at the low discount dollar stores, because everything there is junk. If it's not made in America, don't buy it." - Hagerstown

"I agree with the person that called Mail Call about Hagerstown putting a fence around that horrible former light plant. Why should we have to do that? Why shouldn't the owner have to tear that terrible building down? It certainly has no business the way it is now. It should be torn down. People of Hagerstown, stand up and don't allow our City Council to make us use our money to put a fence around a horrible-looking building like that. I think it's one more of the ridiculous things that our council wants to do." - Hagerstown

"I'm calling about the dog park that somebody has come up with, behind the Legion. I noticed at the meeting that most of the people that wanted this dog park didn't even live in the city. What's the thing here? If these people want a dog park, let the county furnish it."

"You know the U.S. has themselves to blame for this energy crisis we're in once again, so I think it's past due that we do something about it. We've got to tell the environmentalists to take a hike, that we're gonna drill for oil where we have the reserves, and we're gonna do anything we can for alternate energy, and that includes nuclear energy. We can't be at the mercy of these little Third World countries. We've got to do what we've got to do to keep America strong." - Sharpsburg

"In reference to May 9 Opinion page, on the Hagerstown newspaper A4, 'Shank's grandstanding benefits Shank himself, but not Washington County.' I'm a Republican, and I completely agree with this editorial opinion. That's the whole problem. Quit being one party. Try to do the best for everybody. You hit the article right on the head, whoever wrote that editorial opinion." - Leitersburg

"I'm calling about the power plant. Years ago the voters voted to keep it open and operating. Then the city decided it was cheaper to buy it. Now it's real expensive, I think they ought to try to start it back up again, so the City of Hagerstown would be self-sufficient, on their own electricity. Plus they wouldn't have to pay for the city lights on the streets and stuff, and our bills would ... keep it open and see about rebuilding. Keep our own power, because it's gonna get worse."

"I'm calling about the upcoming presidential election. I'm an Independent; I vote for the man, not the party, but I'm gonna say this. Anybody that votes in this presidential election, like it or not, if you don't vote for John McCain, you're making a big, big mistake. And that's all I have to say about that. McCain's not perfect, but he's the lesser of the three evils." - Clear Spring