Jarrettsville

By invitation only, some 200 guests of Jarrettsville Furniture mingled yesterday in an Earl Grey-infused vapor of gentility and celebrity. They were there to meet Charles, the ninth Earl Spencer and the late Princess Diana's entrepreneurial younger brother, who has turned his aristocratic pedigree into a furniture brand, the Althorp Living History collection. Bill and Gail Kuester came from Hagerstown to get their new Althorp chest of drawers autographed by Spencer. It was a little more cumbersome than having a book or photograph signed, but the couple carried their burden with good humor.

On Aug. 23, 1893, ground was broken for the Harford Creamery on a road two miles east of Shawsville and two miles north of Madonna now called Harford Creamery Road. Machinery began churning at the creamery on Dec. 10, 1893. The boiler was known as "Old Bess." With a new plant to process milk up and running, farmers began to keep more cows. The plant at one time had 100 contributors and handled as much as 20,000 pounds of milk a day. The milk was separated from the cream and some of the cream was made into butter.

CHRISTOPHER H.C. WEEKS of Bel Air, MD. Loving brother of Mary R. Ranneberger. Also survived by two nephews, Benjamin G. Ranneberger and Seth C. Ranneberger. A Memorial Service will be held at St. Alban's Anglican Church, Joppa, MD on Saturday, September 8, 2007 at 5 p.m. Friends may call at the church from 4-5 p.m. prior to the service. Those who desire, may contribute to Ladew Topiary Gardens, 3535 Jarrettsville Pike, Monkton, MD 21111. Memory tributes may be sent to the family at: mccomasfuneralhome.

Harford County elementary and middle school students turned in solid performances on this year's Maryland School Assessment, with most schools exceeding the state average in the annual tests, and one school's entire fourth grade passing the math and reading tests. Jarrettsville Elementary's principal attributed the fourth-graders' 100 percent passing rate to the academic environment and development fostered by the students, parents and teachers at the school. Overall, students in Harford elementary schools and middle schools made modest gains in math and reading.

Wade Hawthorne Gowl, owner of a modular building company and a Jarrettsville horse farm, died Tuesday of complications of Alzheimer's disease at the Continuum Care nursing home in Sykesville. He was 86. The youngest of 13 children, Mr. Gowl was raised in South Baltimore and became a dental technician before founding the Atlantic Trailer Corp. in 1955. Though the Middle River firm went bankrupt in 1978, Mr. Gowl restarted it as Porta-Space Inc. in Shrewsbury, Pa. The companies produced trailers for schools needing temporary classroom, barracks used by troops in Saudi Arabia and modular units that could be stacked atop hospitals wanting to expand.

Aide to Bartlett to be in Jarrettsville Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett has announced that his grants director, Myra Kidd, will be in Jarrettsville the first Wednesday of every month, except July. She will be at the Jarrettsville branch of the Harford County Public Library, 3722 Norristown Road, from 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Wednesday. Appointments are requested, but walk-ins are welcome. Residents can call toll-free 888-863-4581 for an appointment, or call Kidd at 202-731- 1869. Harford Democrats to hold fundraiser The New Harford Democratic Club will hold a Harford Salutes Democrats event from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. May 6 at the Bel Air Armory.

Irked at being led around the barn on a harness by his owner, Stryker tried to pull away. He stomped his feet in the dirt and lowered his head as if preparing to charge. Yet there was no real cause for alarm - Stryker is a docile animal with no hooves, claws or upper teeth. At worst, the 6-month-old alpaca could be guilty of possessing an occasional mischievous attitude. "Most alpacas aren't like this," said Renee Petersam as Stryker continued the game of tug-of-war. "Stryker is an exception.

The Harford County Development Advisory Committee serves as a forum for the review of subdivision and site plans submitted to the Department of Planning and Zoning by those seeking building permits. The committee will review the following proposals at 9 a.m. Wednesday in the second-floor conference room of the Harford County government building, 220 S. Main St., Bel Air: Lands of Jarrettsville Manor LLC Location: On the north and south sides of Jarrettsville Road, east of Dulaney Drive.

On February 23, 2007, LOIS ANN HALL of Bel Air, MD; beloved wife of the late Russell Augustus Hall; devoted mother of William R. Hall, Denise A. Strong, Paula L. Schafer and Elizabeth Connell; loving sister of James Ritmiller, Robert Ritmiller and Ellen Friedel. Also survived by eleven grandchildren. She was predeceased by one grandson. Services will be held at St. Ignatius Catholic Church, Forest Hill, MD on Monday February 26, 2007 at 10 A.M. Interment will be in Jarrettsville Cemetery, Jarrettsville, MD. Friends may call at the family owned McComas Funeral Home, P.A., Abingdon, MD on Sunday, February 25, 2007 from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 P.M. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, P.O. Box 50, Memphis, TN 38101-9929.

Several house tours for the holidays are scheduled today: The Chesapeake Cancer Alliance will hold a Christmas Tour of Homes at six decorated private homes and Christ Episcopal Church in the Bel Air/Forest Hill area from noon to 6 p.m. Sites are Wickenden home, 1808 Barrington Village Court; Wilson home, 2410 Rocks Road; Niles home, 205 Kings Crossing Court, Building 205/Condo 3A; Schruefer home, 1617 Creston Drive; Arnold home, 105 Glenwood Road; Wagner...