With the COVID-19 pandemic dominating the news, it’s easy for other public health issues to drop out of sight. Shepherdstown-based Community Education Group (CEG) is pointedly focused on West Virginia’s ongoing substance-use disorder epidemic. Read the Full Story >>
Mike Chalmers
Mike Chalmers is a consulting editor and former editor-in-chief (2016-2020) for The Observer. Mike graduated from Shepherd University with a degree in Communication and Media Studies and currently lives in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.
Why Would a Woman Hike the Entire Appalachian Trail at 50? Why Not?
In the spring of 2012, Shepherdstown resident Annie Wisecarver decided to celebrate a milestone event—her 50th birthday—by setting off on a six-month, 2,000-mile-plus hike. You might have heard of the place: the Appalachian Trail. Read the Full Story >>
And That Works for Me
The July 2020 issue marks a change in ownership of The Observer from Mike Chalmers to Steve Pearson as Editor in Chief & Harriet Pearson as Publisher. Read the Full Story >>
Kunkel Endeavoring to Challenge Both Establishment and Mooney in Bid for U.S. House Seat
Earlier this year, Cathy Kunkel announced her candidacy for West Virginia’s second Congressional district in the U.S. House—running as a Democrat, and, if she secures the nomination, challenging Congressman Alex Mooney (R-West Virginia) in November 2020. Read the Full Story >>
Observer Contributor Co-Develops Memorial Site for Opioid Victims
If you or someone you love has lost someone to the opioid crisis, then it’s worth your while to check out "All Our Hearts"—an online memorial project developed in part by Observer contributor and Jefferson County native Lena Camilletti. Read the Full Story >>
A Deep-Dive Into Anger, Abuse, and Resurrection with Debut Author Timothy J. Hillegonds
A Chicago native, author Timothy J. Hillegonds stepped foot in Shepherdstown for the first time in 2012, and found himself smitten from the start. Seven years later, he readily calls Shepherdstown his second home, and by getting to know West Virginia’s oldest town as intimately as he has, he’s also become familiar with the Mountain State’s unfortunate connection to the nationwide opioid epidemic. Read the Full Story >>
American Overdose
The opioid epidemic has been described as “one of the greatest mistakes of modern medicine.” But calling it a mistake is a generous rewriting of the history of greed, corruption, and indifference that pushed the U.S. into consuming more than 80 percent of the world’s opioid painkillers. Read the Full Story >>
Behind the Scenes with CATF 2019
Entering its 28th year, Shepherdstown’s renowned Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) runs from July 5-28 and comprises six new plays by American playwrights—spotlighting contemporary issues that both challenge and entertain audiences. Read the Full Story >>
Debut Writers Conference Geared Towards Authors at Every Level
On Friday and Saturday, September 6-7, Shepherd University will host the first-of-its-kind “From Manuscript to Marketplace” writers conference, designed to deliver success strategies and insider advice for writers at absolutely any stage. Read the Full Story >>
JCPS Responds to Rise in Special Education Needs with New Student Support Center
In April, Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) announced in a press release that, due to a significant increase in both the number of students and the level of student needs served in the past decade—particularly, the intensive needs of students requiring special education services—they were moving forward with the development of a regional student support center to meet those needs in a way that creates a more positive and productive experience for students, families, and staff. Read the Full Story >>
Drug Take Back Day Gets an Upgrade in Shepherdstown
Across the U.S. every year, National Prescription Drug Take Back Day lands in cities and towns with the goal of providing a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications. Read the Full Story >>
Shepherdstown Debates the Emergence of Transient Lodging
Arguably the oldest town in West Virginia, Shepherdstown remains surprisingly on trend within an assortment of social, political, and even municipal categories. Which is why it should come as no surprise to learn that the town began exploring the emergence of transient lodging back in 2017. Read the Full Story >>
Shepherd University Athletic Club Takes First Step Towards Prolific Future
Shepherd University Athletics will officially announce the kickoff of the Shepherd University Athletic Club (SUAC) with a FREE launch party on Friday, September 14, at 6pm, at the Smallwood and Small Pavilion within Ram Stadium on Shepherd campus. Read the Full Story >>
He Said. She Said. They Said. We Said.
When all the posting, researching, explaining, presenting, disputing, articulating, organizing, mobilizing, etc., is stripped away, it looks like this: one group of people—Rockwool Group North America, the JCDA, and the City of Ranson—wants to bring what has been determined to be an economic opportunity to Jefferson County; another group—mostly Jefferson County citizens and larger groups therein—doesn’t want it here. They each have a story to tell; they each have been attempting to tell that story vigorously for the last month or more. Read the Full Story >>
A Community Conversation with Alan B. Gibson
Local author and entrepreneur, Alan B. Gibson, has a lot going on. He and his partner were recognized for years as the owner/operators of the popular Ridgefield Farm & Orchard located just outside of Shepherdstown—known for its apples, pumpkins, vegetables, Christmas trees, corn maze, and much more. But they sold it, officially, last September (2017), and since then, Gibson has been on a dream-chasing tear, particularly as an author, though he’s quickly making inroads into film, while also continuing to grow a tech startup. Read the Full Story >>