Miss Maryland

Brandy-Lynn Reese changed her tune from fantasy to country and won a spot in the Miss Maryland contest.The week-long pageant opens Monday in Hagerstown and culminates in the selection of a winner to represent the state in the Miss America contest.In March, the 17-year-old Westminster High graduate entered the Miss Carroll County contest and was chosen second runner-up. Although judges gave her high marks for her musical portrayal of "The Little Mermaid," they suggested she try a more mature theme.

Eight volunteers were honored for 50 years of service to the American Red Cross in Harford County.Recognized were Patricia VanEvera, Josephine Dallam, Violet McLean, Lucille Wilson, Jane Appel, Heidi Fadeley, Lawrence G. Kaye and Fritz Hedman.Together they have given more than 460 years of service to the American Red Cross.MEDICAL DIRECTOR NAMEDDr. Vinita Patanaphan is the medical director of The Oncology Center at Riverside, a new facility in Belcamp.Patanaphan also is a clinical associate professor at the University of Maryland Medical System.

Miss Carroll County's crown has finally come home.Stacy L. Smith of Westminster, who earned the title of Miss Carroll County on Saturday night, is the first local woman to win that honor in seven years, said Terry England, the executive director of the Miss Carroll County pageant."

She's Miss Ocean City. She's been Miss Harford County. She's worn the Miss Maryland crown -- twice. And this week, she's Miss Preakness.But the title Kimberlee Suerth of Edgewood longs to win is Miss America.It's a title the Edgewood High School graduate has sought twice unsuccessfully. Both times she walked away as first runner-up. She hopes the third time is the charm.Suerth, 22, a senior majoring in public relations at Towson State University, currently has the title of Miss Ocean City.

Heather Hull, a 1993 graduate of Westminster High School, was crowned Miss Carroll County 1995 on Sunday afternoon at the Longwell Municipal Center.Miss Hull, who attends the University of Maryland College Park, will represent the county at the Miss Maryland Pageant June 25 in Hagerstown."

It was father's intuitionA WEEK before that onslaught of heavily made-up women in bathing suits -- otherwise known as the Miss Maryland Pageant -- hit Hagerstown last week, a Severna Park father left this message on a reporter's voice mail at The Sun."My daughter's going to win the Miss Maryland pageant this weekend, and I need to announce a party we're throwing in the Giant parking lot for Sunday."Sure enough, Severna Park resident Heather Noelle Davis, 24, Park won.A fix?No, assures the father.

A 23-year-old State Department of Education employee from Baltimore was crowned as Miss Maryland USA last night in competition at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center. The winner, Marina Harrison, 23, won't have to travel even that far in representing Maryland at the Miss USA pageant in April: The site is Baltimore's Hippodrome Theatre, a few blocks from her apartment. "I will be competing in my own back yard," a jubilant Harrison said last night in a telephone interview, minutes after besting 88 other women for the crown.

Loveliness is coming here to Baltimore -- loaded down with mountains of hair gel, moisturizer and mascara, and armed with evening gowns and strappy sandals. The Miss USA pageant is calling Baltimore home this month, for a second year in a row. The 51 contestants -- plus last year's winner, Chelsea Cooley -- will descend here en masse today. "The judges are going to have a big job on their hands trying to figure out which one of these ladies is worthy of being Miss USA," said Dennis Castleman, assistant secretary for tourism, film and the arts, with the state's Department of Business Economic Development.

Cecil County Elkton Woman dies of injuries from fire An Elkton woman died yesterday of injuries she suffered during a fire at her home Wednesday. The state fire marshal's office says Kathie Wilson, 54, died yesterday morning at the burn unit at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. It started in a sofa in the living room of Wilson's mobile home. Neighbors found Wilson lying on her kitchen floor after the fire broke out early Wednesday.

FAIR WEATHER FRIENDS: Learn how and where you can volunteer your time at the first Governor's Volunteer Day and "Strive for Five" Volunteer Marketplace Saturday and Sunday at the Maryland State Fair in Timonium.More than 100 non-profit and government organizations from across the state will be recruiting people for positions such as literacy tutor, crisis counselor and foster grandparent. The governor is scheduled to present a special salute to Maryland's volunteers Sunday around 7:30 p.m., shortly before a free oldies extravaganza concert at the Grandstand featuring the Drifters, The Platters and The Shirelles.