"Blue Band director Mr. Robert Stike demonstrates qualities of a teacher/mentor that all parents could wish for their child. Mr. Stike helped the Blue Band members bring back the Blue Band pride. I would like to thank him for spending his time and talents with our children, and I pray the Board of Education understands how valuable the music program is to students. These students do well with their academics, and it helps bring them a camaraderie that most other studies do not provide." - Boonsboro

"I agree with the caller that called in about Michael Jackson's movie, 'This Is It.' Whether you like him or you didn't, he was a phenomenal performer, and I feel sad that his life ended the way it was. He was a talent that we'll probably never see again, never have someone with such talent, and I think he was a sad soul, and I feel sad. I've saw it twice, and I highly recommend it." - Hagerstown

"I'd like to know when the sheriff is gonna come out here, or the state police, on Orchard Hills Parkway, and sit here and make their quota - in probably about two hours - for the people that fly down this road, go through a stop sign, anywhere from 35 to 50 mph. It is ridiculous. The state of Maryland should have taken down ... back on Oct. 20 when they were supposed to. Please help. And people, stop speeding down this road." - Hagerstown

"I look forward to Tuesday's Farm local section of The Herald-Mail, especially the articles written by Jeff Semler. He always provides thoughtful and thought-provoking information. You can tell he's passionate about his work, and the importance to communicate to the public. Well done, and keep up the good work, Jeff." - Hagerstown

"How can these right-winger talk show hosts, Republicans, tell people propaganda that the Bush and Cheney administration kept this country safe for seven or eight years? He sent troops over to a foreign country that we did not belong in and got over 4,000 troops killed, plus thousands upon thousands maimed, injured, and all the civilian people that got killed, women and children. Someday they're gonna have to explain that." - Hagerstown

"Please understand what you read before you respond. I'm the caller that called up about Veterans Day. ... I was explaining about that the kids should get off for Veterans Day, not to have a holiday off, but to remember the veterans that served in the wars. That is an important holiday. ... Veterans Day should be a time off for the children to remember, not like a professional day and all that. Veterans Day is an important holiday where the kids need to be off to remember those who fought in the wars." - Hagerstown

"Herald-Mail, Monday, Nov. 16, 'Officials mull parking deck options.' Don't we have enough parking decks downtown? Why spend another million dollars for something that is not needed, and not even overused with what's still available? Please, our officials, stop thinking of ways to spend money. We're supposed to be conserving, not spending. This is tough times on everybody. Maybe it'll come out of your pocket." - Hagerstown

"Past Hagerstown city resident, now county resident. Say no to The Columbia Bank Hagerstown deal and the Chamber of Commerce for parking places. If you have 1,770 spots already there, where's the need, and show me the need, for 842? Once the hospital leaves, let the hospital donate that parking garage to the city. We don't need anymore new debt. We got in trouble now." - Chewsville

"Everybody complains about Barack Obama, our president, but he's only been in office for 11 months. They're not giving him a chance. Just think what the Bush administration did over the last eight years before him. It's sad. ... What credibility and what experience did Bush have coming in office? None. ... He got our country in war. Look at all the men's lives, men's lives and ladies' lives we've lost, and Obama's supposed to clean it up in a matter of 10, 11 months?" - Hagerstown

"When I was in college several years ago, I was required by the school to buy the health insurance that they offered because I was no longer covered by my parents' insurance policy. Why? Because to the college, a healthy student tended to be a better student. Same thing applies now with health reform. When everyone is covered, either by a private or a government plan, a healthy America is a better America." - Sharpsburg

"I called the City of Hagerstown about my taxes, if I don't pay them this year, and I was told if I didn't pay my taxes by March, they would put my house up for sale, where I had to make payments on it. The city and the county both are spending money like water. Property dropped about 45 to 50 thousand dollars, and the house I live in, it's over 100 years old. So I think they better quit spending money and lower our taxes." - Hagerstown

"Congratulations to Earle Pereschuk, in his letter to the editor Nov. 15, 2009, related to Williamsport officials. As a citizen of this town, I want answers to these questions, not just 'Come to our meetings to find out what's going on.' Obviously, that doesn't help anyway. Maybe these officials need to take lessons from our Smithsburg mayor, who works hard to help her citizens, as evidenced by another news article in our Herald-Mail recently." - Williamsport

"I was driving in the Mercersburg area Sunday, close to the Whitetail golf resort, and I observed a beautiful young lady riding a horse down the road, and I thought, boy, she really looked like she was enjoying the beautiful day. As I got closer, I noticed she was talking on a cell phone. It just kind of made me smile. I wonder if she was texting if that would be illegal." - Hagerstown

"I'd like to just say Judge Long did a great job handing out lengthy sentences for the child abusers up on - those girls up on Cannon Avenue that got the concurrent child abuse sentences and crimes against children, and thank you to Judge Long." - McConnellsburg, Pa.

"I would like to thank them and bless them, the three or four really nice guys that helped me out last Wednesday when I ran into a little concrete post and tore my bumper off the car. They were just wonderful. They came to my aid immediately and helped me so I could drive home." - Keedysville

"Could somebody please explain to me why the girls volleyball teams' outfits are so short and tight? I just don't understand why their shorts are so short." - Hagerstown

"Whoever lets their dog loose on Patrick Road off of Jefferson Boulevard better start carrying a plastic bag and gather up their messes. I have 15 pounds in my yard in one week." - Hagerstown

"I haven't been able to get the H1N1 vaccine yet, and I'm in two high-risk groups. I'm over 50 and I have pulmonary disease. Just imagine how happy I was to read in Friday's paper that the inmates are gonna be getting the H1N1 vaccine." - Clear Spring

"I'd like to know why people are putting Christmas trees up, Christmas lights up, baking cookies now, and Thanksgiving's not even here. I'd like to know an answer to that in Mail Call, please." - Mount Lena

"I'd be anxious to know if any of the other parents in Washington County that have their child in elementary school have realized that writing is not a part of the curriculum. I have two students that have been through an elementary school in Washington County, and neither one of them have been taught to write in cursive." - Hagerstown

"Everybody's scared about bringing the detainees from Guantanamo over here. What are you scared for? There's more guns per capita in the U.S. than there is in any place in the world. They're the ones should be scared. Come on, people, grow up a little bit. They're gonna put them in a maximum-security prison. What, you have no faith in the prison system? You think they're gonna escape?" - Martinsburg, W.Va.

"I think it's time we reinstate the death penalty, especially for sexual abuse and rape and killing of children. This is getting way out of hand." - Hagerstown

"If you're not going to go the speed limit and decide that you're going to go under the speed limit, please pull over so that people traveling along with you that need to go the speed limit to get somewhere on time will have a chance to get there on time. Since I'm also talking about traffic, I'd like to add, if you're an oncoming car and I'm waiting to turn right or left, it would be awful considerate of you to put on a turn signal and ... don't just pull a right turn in front of me, wasting my time. I think everybody should be more courteous to each other on the highway." - Boonsboro

"Remember when Obama ran for president, he said 'A change we can believe in,' then he said 'Yes, we can.' Yes, we can do what? Make us look weak in the eyes of our enemies, borrow more money than we'll ever be able to pay back to China and other countries, and lower our defense? If the generals tell him on the field in Afghanistan, 'I need more people,' you don't have any czars who probably never served in the military tell him don't." - Williamsport

"I just heard ... the government now recommends that women don't get mammograms as often as they should. The health care bill has not been passed, yet here it is, the government's telling us we should not get mammograms except every two years. That's not right." - Falling Waters, W.Va.

"I'm calling about the article about Hagerstown Titans being - coaches being class. The class belongs to the Williamsport Viking boys. They're champions in my eyes." - Hagerstown