Rake

For more than nine years now, Laura Davies has remained two points short of the Hall of Fame under the LPGA's standard for entry. That's equivalent to two wins or one major. Too bad she can't get credit for success on her home continent. The British blaster ran her worldwide total to 75 wins with last week's Ladies European Tour victory in Austria, her third this year after earlier triumphs in New Zealand and Germany. At 46 years and 11 months, Davies also became the oldest champion in LET annals.

The old Baptist minister climbed the gangway of the old Liberty ship. By the time he reached the slanted deck, his eyes had moistened. For the first time in 56 years, since he was a teen-ager in the U.S. Navy Armed Guard, Richard W. Hass of upstate New York was back aboard a ship he thought no longer existed: the SS John W. Brown. "I can't keep the tears back," said Hass, now 75, as he boarded the Brown in Buffalo, N.Y. "I fired the Brown's five-inch gun at German planes in the [Mediterranean Sea]

ADVERTORIAL CONTENT Labor Day is here marking the “official” end of summer. White pants are out and flannel shirts are around the corner. And so are all the leaves that will be falling, falling, falling. Beautiful to look at but tiresome to rake (or blow). You know what follows - snow, snow, snow! If you are tired of endless yard work and back breaking snow shoveling then you need to visit a Traditions of America 55+ lifestyle community. The company currently has 5 active adult communities across Pennsylvania and at each one they take care of all of the yard work and snow shoveling!

Evil-smelling effluent bubbling from a factory into a bay. Is that what you see when you think of water pollution?Twenty years ago, that picture would have been pretty accurate. But factories and municipalities have largely cleaned up their act -- and their effluent, the technical term for waste water.Now when it comes to polluting surface waters, the biggest villains are us. You, me, Mr. Perennially Tinkering Under Cars next door, Ms. Weed and Feed the Lawn Every Month Whether It Needs It or Not on the corner, and the folks across the street who paved their yard so they wouldn't have to mow it.The problem is runoff.

Two more candidates are in the running to fill David A. Rakes' vacated seat on the County Council. Jeffrey L. Underwood and James Hanson, both of Long Reach, have submitted applications to the Democratic Party by the April 10 deadline. They join Calvin Ball, 30, and Adam Sachs, 42, who are both running in the election for the council's District 2 seat. The Democratic Party is scheduled to meet Tuesday, when the central committee will select a replacement for Rakes, who resigned March 31, for health reasons.

County Councilman David A. Rakes, the east Columbia Democrat who angered some party faithful by joining with Republicans to form a controlling majority on the council, made an unannounced appearance last week at a Columbia Democratic Club candidates forum, but he wouldn't say he is a candidate for any elected office. Rakes seemed intent on showing that he is not intimidated by party critics. "He's a fine, fine young man," Rakes said, gesturing at Calvin Ball, a declared candidate for Rakes' seat.

Palmyra, Pa. -- Where there's smoke, there's history in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, where Lebanon bologna has remained a popular foodstuff since the 18th century. The uninitiated may dismiss Lebanon bologna as an obscure luncheon meat, but for those who grew up eating slices of the stuff in sandwiches, served fried with eggs or smeared with cream cheese, it is an "identity food" redolent of southeastern Pennsylvania's distinctive culinary heritage. "True Lebanon sausage," writes Evan Jones in American Food: The Gastronomic Story, "is made of nothing but coarsely ground beef pre-cured and aged in barrels, then seasoned with sweet herbs and assertive spices, forced into airtight casings, and smoked over smoldering sawdust for a matter of days."

A record $213,406 was raised in last weekend's 25th anniversary radio auction for Center Stage. Sydney Wilner, auction coordinator, called the outcome "fantastic." The top ticket item also set a record. A seven-day Mediterranean cruise on the SeaDream fetched $6,100. In addition, four tickets for Sunday night's final Terps game at Cole Field House brought a combined total of $1,800. Other distinctive items that did well included a Nebuchanezzar - the equivalent of 20 bottles, or 100 glasses - of Veuve Cliquot champagne, which brought $820, and a Ravens football signed by the entire team, which brought $800.

Fall's gentle shower of leaves may inspire you to make these rich shortbread cookies. Use leaf-shaped cookie cutters to shape the dough or bake traditional Scottish-style shortbread wedges. The buttery flavor makes this cookie melt in your mouth, so be sure to use the real thing. Start with the plain butter version, then branch out to the ginger or orange-poppy seed variations. Because these cookies are so rich, you'll want to use regular cookie sheets; insulated cookie sheets may cause the butter to leak out during baking.

In the mood for a jolt of envy? Some grinding of teeth? Then let us talk of baseball contracts, which can always get the old resentment juices flowing.As all sports fans know, Greg Maddux, the Cubs' young star pitcher, will soon sign a five-year contract for about $32 million. If not with the Cubs, then with some other generous souls.So will Barry Bonds, the Pittsburgh outfielder, who is considered super-duper star after having a season that would have made Ted Williams or Joe DiMaggio blush with shame and take a cut in pay.By now, we're accustomed to reading about huge sports salaries.