Herald-Mail journalism made a difference in 2023: Here's our best work

Residents of Hagerstown, Washington County and the region were rocked the night of Oct. 19, when a well-liked and respected circuit court judge, Andrew F. Wilkinson, 52, was shot and killed in his driveway north of the city.

The Herald-Mail provided live and detailed coverage of this tragedy, including the breaking news when the suspect's body was found in the Williamsport area. As our community continues to reel from this tragedy, our journalists will continue to report on the impact of the crime, including proposed safety measures for judges and what's next for the court.

Our reporters at the Herald-Mail and heraldmailmedia.com, along with our Pennsylvania colleagues at The Record Herald in Waynesboro, the Public Opinion in Chambersburg, and the Echo-Pilot in Greencastle, have highlighted those stories, and also dug deep through court records, published investigative reports, and told firsthand stories about topics that matter most in the community.

Here are some of the stories that made a difference in 2023, told by Hagerstown and Maryland journalists:

Columbia Machine shooter sent to mental hospital

In April, The Herald-Mail broke the news that surviving victims and family members of three slain Columbia Machine workers were informed that the shooter would be sent to a mental hospital, not prison.  Mark Alan Frey, 50, of Waynesboro, Pa.; Charles "C.J." Edward Minnick Jr., 31, of Smithsburg; and Joshua "Josh" Robert Wallace, 30, of the Hagerstown area, were killed at work on June 9, 2022. Also shot was Columbia Machine co-worker Brandon Chase Michael, then 42, and — during the shootout with authorities after Esqivel fled in a car — Maryland State Police Detective Sgt. Phil Martin. Joe Louis Esquivel, 24, of Hedgesville, W.Va., was found not criminally responsible due to mental illness.

Maryland's service year option program starts with launch event

How does a community and a state even begin to heal after the murder of a circuit court judge? Our story offered a few first steps. The rollout for the governor’s state service initiative had been a plan of the new politician for months. The circumstances of the day, the same as the judge’s funeral, could not have been scripted. The reporting connected the threads (at an event 70 miles away from the city) and lett the authenticity of the participants shine through.

There's a whole lot of development going on in the county

As Gov. Larry Hogan's tenure was ending, he made a trip to Hagerstown in November 2022 to attend a series of groundbreaking ceremonies for three major projects: a new manufacturing plant for Hitachi Rail, a new osteopathic medical school and a new baseball stadium/events center. To some, it marked the culmination of years of work to breathe new life into a community whose manufacturing past had faded. To others, perhaps, it marked a brave new world of new employment, educational and cultural options. In 2023, anticipation built as work on these projects helped fuel a development boom in Washington County. The Herald-Mail capped the coverage with a seven-part series on the background and potential impact of this new growth.

How should Washington County look in the future?

Throughout 2023 — and even before — complaints about the number of warehouses in Washington County were rampant, particularly in a region known for its history and agriculture. But county officials noted that those warehouses had been built where industrial growth had been slated to go in the county's last comprehensive plan. A new plan was drafted in 2023 to direct growth through 2040, and it will be finalized in 2024. Our story, from earlier in the process, attempts to explain what goes into land use plans, how they're developed and why it's important to pay attention to them now rather than later.

Investigation finds lack of collaboration in Maryland inmate releases

The outcome of a Public Information Act request process spanning about six months, our story answered a fundamental question for residents in a county with three state prisons: Where do inmates go as they finish their time? The story published one day after public officials announced the formation of a multi-year collaborative designed to tackle mass incarceration and promote successful societal re-entry for the formerly incarcerated.

Maryland General Assembly concludes legislative session

The Maryland Legislature meets only for a scheduled 90 days per year, but the collective effort of those months set the state’s course for years ahead. Addressing everything from the minimum wage to the money needed for schools, the state’s General Assembly tackles a plethora of topics. Nothing happens without the input of citizens, who sometimes stand in long lines outside the State House to lobby their legislators on a bill. We covered the historic 2023 General Assembly session, and included critiques of the process and looked ahead at issues that still need to be met.

Hagerstown celebrates its first black mayor

After Hagerstown had its first female mayor in Emily Keller, Tekesha Martinez became the city's first Black mayor in February after Keller took a job with the state. The Hagerstown City Council unanimously agreed to appoint one of its own, Martinez, as mayor. Keller left the mayoral post to accept an appointment in Gov. Wes Moore's administration as special secretary for opioid response, a field she has devoted much time in.

Progress on Hagerstown's new ballpark

Local baseball fans learned the name of the new Atlantic League of Professional Baseball franchise in Hagerstown is the Flying Boxcars and substantial progress was made this year toward constructing their future home, the Hagerstown Multi-Use Sports and Events Facility.

Blazers win state baseball title for their ‘boys upstairs’

Clear Spring winning the state baseball title in honor of three fallen teammates was significant. They won the championship game 3-2 in 11 innings, and the uniform numbers worn by the three players, who died in a car accident less than a year earlier, were 3, 2 and 11.

Aaron Brooks’ reign continues at NCAA wrestling championships

Hagerstown’s Aaron Brooks cemented himself as one of the all-time greats in college wrestling, winning his third straight NCAA title for Penn State while leading the Nittany Lions to their 10th national team championship in the last 12 years.

Fisher, Bagent draw NFL scouts from 31 teams to Shepherd pro day

Scouts from 31 NFL teams came to Shepherdstown University to size up the speed, power and skills of Joey Fisher, Tyson Bagent and others, and the local football players put on a show.

This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Herald-Mail stories that made an impact in Hagerstown, beyond in 2023