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Latest Stories

Route 340 Closure Begins Early In The Morning On September 12

Route 340 Closure Will Affect Traffic For Three Months

Route 340 Closure Traffic Will Hit Jefferson County And Surrounding Region

Childcare Options Needed In Jefferson County

Appalachian Heritage Festival At Shepherd University To Highlight Family And Community

School Attendance Matters For Academic Skills

State Legislature Meets For Special Session In August

West Virginia Legislature’s Meeting Schedule

Hammerhead Worm Has Odd Habits

Shepherdstown Battlefield Preservation Association Receives $2.5 Million In Funding

Moulton Family Transfers 82 Acres To Expand Local Park

Grandparents Day Has West Virginia Roots

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In Print

Observer 2023-08 cover

Berkeley County

Conversations About Local Growth

October, 2022 Tagged With: housing, housing trends, infrastructure, population growth, Shepherd University, Stubblefield Institute

Toll House Woods housing development

Share your thoughts and concerns on local growth with theStubblefield Institute for Civil Political Communications at Shepherd University.  Read the Full Story >>

Celebrate Independence Day 2022

July, 2022 Tagged With: fireworks, independence day, parade

American flag in Shepherdstown parade

The American Flag carried by members of the Shepherdstown Volunteer Fire Department (above) is a staple of the Shepherdstown’s Independence Day parade in Jefferson County every year. For fireworks and festivals, there are many events in nearby cities and counties during this July 4th weekend. JUL 2 (Sat) — Independence Day Festival in Brunswick · Read the Full Story >>

Connecting Teens to Prevent Suicide

February, 2022 Tagged With: Brian O’Neill Jr Foundation, In Print Mar 2022, suicide prevention

Hedgesville High School students created posters to remind their peers of their sources of strength.

Lee O’Neill is on a mission to bring best practices for suicide prevention to Eastern Panhandle schools. Starting two years ago with Musselman High, O’Neill now provides the program — developed by nationwide organization Sources of Strength — to all four high schools in Berkeley County. Read the Full Story >>

Online Watercolor Pencil Classes

April, 2021 Tagged With: Berkeley Art Works, Berkeley Arts Council

The Berkeley Arts Council is offering a 4-session, online class appropriate for students who have no watercolor painting experience as well as those who currently paint with watercolors but who want to improve their techniques. Read the Full Story >>

WVU Studies Local Children’s Exposure To Heavy Metals

April, 2021 Tagged With: air pollution, heavy metals, rockwool, WVU Medicine

The Rockwool mineral wool factory, scheduled to begin production this spring, is visible across the road in front of North Jefferson Elementary School.

It’s about giving families peace of mind, emphasized Dr. Michael McCawley and Dr. Catherine Feaga, speaking about the WVU School of Public Health research project to study the potential exposure and near-term health effects of heavy metals in children in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Read the Full Story >>

Art & Earth Exhibit — April 22 to May 29

April, 2021 Tagged With: Art & Earth, Berkeley Arts Council

Berkeley Arts Council is presenting an eclectic gathering of works for its 11th annual Art & Earth Exhibit. Each piece contains an energy, vibrancy and relevance of the “now” that collectively represent a fullness of “Life” in its various states. Read the Full Story >>

Berkeley Arts Council Offers Classes In Watercolor Pencil

March, 2021 Tagged With: Berkeley Arts Council

The Berkeley Arts Council is offering multiple online classes in watercolor pencil this spring for both beginners and individuals with some experience.  Read the Full Story >>

Mountaineer Rental Assistance Program

March, 2021 Tagged With: eviction, foreclosure, rental assistance

mountaineer rental assistance program logo.

The Mountaineer Rental Assistance Program is designed to assist West Virginia renters at risk of eviction or homelessness due to COVID-19. Read the Full Story >>

Take An Online Art Class This March At Berkeley Art Works

February, 2021 Tagged With: Berkeley Art Works, Berkeley Arts Council

The Berkeley Arts Council is offering two online art classes in March. Pre-registration is required. For details & registration visit Berkeley Art Works website Read the Full Story >>

Transportation Hub for the Eastern Panhandle

February, 2021 Tagged With: commuting, COVID-19, economic development, MARC train

Martinsburg’s Caperton Station

The question to ask is, “do you want to take advantage of economic development opportunities?” said Shane Farthing, Director of Economic and Community Development for the City of Martinsburg. He suggested that if the city did not have a train station and “we did a study on how to improve the economy, we’d ask how great it would be to have a train station. Sometimes it’s hard to recognize the good things you already have.  Read the Full Story >>

Tracking the Train in West Virginia’s 2021 Budget Debates

February, 2021 Tagged With: commuting, COVID-19, MARC, MARC train, Maryland Transit Administration, Public Transit, public transportation, West Virginia Legislature

The pandemic has strained the MTA’s workforce and put a dent in ridership and revenue. Discussions about West Virginia’s rail funding for the next fiscal year (from July 2021) will begin when the state Legislature receives the Governor’s budget proposal in early February. Read the Full Story >>

The Eastern Panhandle Transit Authority Rides Out The Pandemic

January, 2021 Tagged With: COVID-19, Eastern Panhandle Transit Authority, public transportation

Elaine Bartoldson, Director of the Eastern Panhandle Transit Authority (EPTA), describes EPTA’s mission as “providing service for the workforce, individuals who have no other way to get around.” She summarized her perspective on the value of EPTA, saying, “without public transportation, things will stop for the people who use it." Read the Full Story >>

The Pandemic is Here & Now

December, 2020 Tagged With: COVID-19, COVID-19 vaccine, Dr. Terrence Reidy, Jefferson County Health Department

Dr. Terrence Reidy shares thoughts and observations about the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as well as his advice for reducing risk while the vaccine rollout begins. Read the Full Story >>

Sustaining Plastic Recycling

October, 2020 Tagged With: Berkeley County Solid Waste Authority, plastic, recycling, sustainability

Berkeley Waste Authority Sign

Updated March 5 2021 - The Berkeley County Solid Waste Authority has temporarily suspended drop-off acceptance of plastics (including bags) at both its Grapevine and Inwood locations.  Read the Full Story >>

The Challenges of Feeding Kids During the Pandemic

July, 2020 Tagged With: Berkeley County Schools, food insecurity, Jefferson County Schools, Kidz Power Pacs

volunteers working outside to pack food for kids power packs.

In 2007, Diana Wall found herself called to a mission. Working with Community Combined Ministries, she founded a program to source, assemble and distribute food packages through the Jefferson and Berkeley County School Districts. Kidz Power Pacs (KPP for short) is designed to provide children food for weekends and school breaks, filling a gap not served by weekday, in-school nutrition programs funded by the government. Read the Full Story >>

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