On April 15, Jefferson Orchards Inc. (JOI), applied to the Jefferson County Commission to change the zoning designation for the old Miller Orchard and a second, adjacent property located to the northeast of Kearneysville. The two parcels (240+ acres) are currently in the rural zone. Read the Full Story >>
Community
Rockwool Construction Complete, Community Concerns Continue
According to the @ROCKWOOLRansonCommunity page on Facebook, the manufacturing facility will operate equipment in May to “run in” the factory, prior to beginning production operations in June. In an April 30 post, the company stated that “steam” will be visible from the chimney stack above the “wet electrostatic precipitator'' and a “plume” will be visible from the tall chimney Read the Full Story >>
PVAS Evening Firefly Walk — June 26
Celebrate the magic of ‘firefly season’ with an evening firefly walk at Cool Spring Preserve with Ariel Firebaugh, Director of Scientific Engagement at Blandy Experimental Farm, a UVA research facility and arboretum located near Winchester, VA. Stroll along the trails of the preserve and learn why fireflies flash, what they eat, and other fun facts Read the Full Story >>
Family Drive-In Theater Continues As Community Treasure
Jim Kopp, owner and operator of the Family Drive-In Theater since 2010 and all-around community booster, died of Covid-19 complications in January 2021. With no clear plan in place for continuing operations, the theater’s future was dim. Andy Combs, a local pastor who held services at the theater started looking online for advice, grants, or investors that might help keep the theater open. He found Andrew Thomas, owner of a couple of drive-in theaters in Houston, who purchased the theater earlier this spring. Read the Full Story >>
Rock Hill Creamery Opens In Downtown Shepherdstown
“I’m using the recipes I got from Gary,” says Fuhrmann. “Keeping it simple makes for good ice cream and because I make it right here each week I don’t need to add preservatives. Gary once made 80 batches a week – I’m making just a fraction of that, so I know I have lots of room to grow. Read the Full Story >>
Summer Solstice Nature Journaling — June 19
In celebration of the Summer Solstice weekend, join Carolyn Duckworth at Cool Springs Preserve for a learning session on journaling. Read the Full Story >>
Can They Do That? Questions About COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements.
The rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine in the United States has been met with both enthusiasm and skepticism. With many public and private entities requiring a COVID-19 vaccination, any concerns about the vaccine go beyond evaluating the personal health and risk choices into questions of law. Take a quick look into the most likely answers to the following questions about the legality of vaccine requirements. Read the Full Story >>
Summertime At The Mill — June 12
The Shenandoah Planing Mill (SPM) will host its annual “Summertime at the Mill” event on June 12, from 9 am to 6 pm. Most events will be outside, including exhibits by the artists of Over The Mountain Studio Tour, demonstrations by local artisans and craftspeople, and music by Mink’s Miracle Medicine. Read the Full Story >>
Not Your Run of the Mill Operation
After two years of operation, the Shenandoah Planing Mmill has grown to host several other businesses that fit into the collaborative model that takes in raw logs at the back of the building and can deliver finished furniture, molding, and other wood products out the front loading docks. Read the Full Story >>
Paper Shredding Event — May 11
Do you have old bank statements and personal documents you need to clean out of your files? The Friends of Shepherdstown Library are offering a shredding event where you can have your papers securely recycled. Read the Full Story >>
Martinsburg Heritage Festival – May 8 and 9
The annual festival is a chance to peek inside some historic buildings and see artifacts and displays of this history. Events include historic house tours, ghost tours, food and music performances. Read the Full Story >>
Housing Trends Indicate Growth In Jefferson County
Jefferson County has seen a steady pace of new home construction since the recovery after the 2008 recession. Permit numbers for the first few months of 2021 indicate a significant increase in construction may be coming. Read the Full Story >>
Sponsor A Relay For Life Luminaria – June 12
On June 12, when the sun goes down, hundreds of luminarias light the way under the stars to remember those lost to cancer, those fighting cancer, and those who have fought cancer and won. This ceremony of light symbolizes the hope and perseverance with which we all continue to fight. Read the Full Story >>
“Bark Ranger Walk” At Harpers Ferry — May 22
The Harpers Ferry Park Association organizes monthly hikes in and around historic Harpers Ferry WV. The May “Bark Ranger Walk” on Saturday May 22 starts at 10 am and is a 3.5 mile easy walk exploring the Armory Canal Trail and Virginius Island on Saturday May 22. Read the Full Story >>
A Vision for Hill Top House
By the time Fred and Karen Schaufeld first saw the Hill Top hotel in the early 1990s, it was still imposing, but definitely “shabby chic” as they described it — built to last, but worn down by time. Read the Full Story >>