Hammond

As Kacy Williams, she set a still-standing basketball assist record at Hammond and was named The Sun's Female Athlete of the Year in 1994 before going on to star at Georgetown. Now, as Kacy Valentine, she teaches seventh-graders at Cradlerock School in Columbia, using many of the lessons she learned in high school and college to excel as a classroom instructor and mentor. Valentine, 33, says she has always "loved things that are hard." It is the challenge that keeps her interested.

The Hammond baseball team has placed four players on the Maryland State Association of Baseball Coaches preseason team, thought to be a possible state record. "I can remember Calvert Hall having three," said Mount St. Joseph coach Dave Norton, who has been coaching the game for 35 years. "But I can't recall four. It's very, very unusual for schools to have multiple players." Hammond's team members are all seniors: pitcher-third baseman Travis Clark, first baseman Tyler Clark, pitcher Danny Wissmann and shortstop Jared Christensen.

On November 17, 2009, Hammond E. "Gene" Weber, Sr The service will be 11 A.M. Friday, November 20th at J.J. Hartenstein Mortuary Inc., 24 Second Street, New Freedom, PA with burial to follow at Wiseburg United Methodist Cemetery, White Hall, MD. Friends may call at the Mortuary from 10 to 11 A.M. on Friday. In lieu of flowers contributions may be offered to West Liberty United Methodist Church, PO box 86, 810 Wiseburg Road, White Hall, MD 21161 or Maryland Line Volunteer Fire Comapny, PO Box 205, 21631 York Road, Maryland Line, MD 21105.

Makenna Burns is only 8, but she believes she'll never have a Halloween as memorable as this year's. Her Pocahontas costume garnered a slew of comments, including one from President Barack Obama. Makenna, a third-grader at Hammond Elementary in Laurel, was one of 200 children at the school to receive a ticket to the Obama family's first Halloween celebration at the White House. No one at the school is exactly sure how it was chosen, but they don't care. They're still basking in their brush with one of the most powerful families in the world.

Terry McGowan suspected that there was a good chance that Hammond Middle was going to be honored as a National Blue Ribbon School. But the principal of the Laurel school was still shocked when an e-mail arrived last week from U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan's office notifying her that Hammond Middle was one of eight schools in the state and 314 schools in the country to be named 2009 National Blue Ribbon Schools. Resurrection-St. Paul School in Ellicott City was also honored. Hammond was named a Maryland Blue Ribbon School in December 2008.

The Howard County Board of Education approved recently the schematic design for the Hammond Elementary School and Hammond Middle School renovations and 100-seat expansion. Construction on the project, which is scheduled to be completed August 2011, is expected to combat overcrowding of schools along the U.S. 1 corridor, according to school system officials. "This is needed and helpful in balancing the [U.S. 1] growth," said Joel Gallihue, the school system's manager for school planning.

On May 21, 2009 NORMA STAFFORD BRISCOE, beloved wife of the late Hammond J. Briscoe, Jr.; loving mother of Joyce Briscoe Neale, Jacqueline Briscoe, Norma Wright and Hammond Jerome Briscoe, III. She is survived by a host of relatives and friends. Friends may visit the family owned MARCH FUNERAL HOME WEST, INC., 4300 Wabash Avenue on Friday, where the family will receive friends at 3:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Children's Defense Fund, 25 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20001 (800)

Stephanie Speierman threw a no-hitter, broke a state record and helped the No. 7 Hammond girls softball team advance to the Class 2A South regional semifinals by beating visiting Patuxent, 3-1, on Monday. Speierman (15-2) gave up one run and two walks, and struck out 15, which pushed her career total to 1,351 to best previous record-holder Megan Elliott of Calvert with 1,345. No. 3 Chesapeake-AA 7, Leonardtown 0: : Lauren Gibson (11-2) pitched seven innings, gave up five hits and struck out 10 to lift the Cougars (16-2)

Hammond third baseman Travis Clark stepped up to the plate in the first inning with two men on and thought Atholton pitcher Wes Hand was going to try to strike him out on curveballs. "The guys in front of me were all getting curveballs," Clark said. "But he threw me a fastball right down the middle and I adjusted to it. It was right in the wheelhouse." Clark hit a three-run home run, and the 10-0 rout of No. 14 Atholton was on. The Golden Bears scored four more runs in the fourth and added two in the bottom of the fifth.