No Swarmin’ Hornet for Md. water tower after Georgia Tech objects

DAMASCUS, Md. (AP) — The Swarmin’ Hornet of Damascus High School will not fly over the town.

The Washington Suburban Sanitation Commission announced Friday that it is abandoning plans to paint the school’s logo, a swarming hornet, on the water tower.

The hornet bears a strong resemblance to Georgia Tech’s mascot, the yellow jacket. The commission said objections raised by Georgia Tech have forced community leaders to abandon the plan.

As an alternative, the commission will paint a large “D” on the tower in the school’s colors of green and gold.

Repainting the water tower 1.5 million gallon tank is costing $1.2 million. Community leaders in Damascus raised $15,000 to have the hornet incorporated into the job, but the commission said Georgia Tech’s legal concerns “forced community leaders to move to Plan ‘D.'”

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