The Observer focuses on the stories of Jefferson County and West Virginia, looking beyond the headlines to inform the public discusssion on important topics relevant to the community, including the local economy, environment, education, politics, and public health. We also spotlight local artisans, artists, musicians, businesses & community organizations.
Building An Organic Farm From The Ground Up
When Katie Brownell and Michael Herbst started Red Hawk Rise Organics four years ago, they had already collected years of hands-on experience in small-scale organic farming. Read the Full Story >>
Volunteers Boost Efforts to Vaccinate Community
“We could not do this without these volunteers,” says Dr. Terrence Reidy, a sentiment echoed by everyone else working with the Jefferson County Health Department to roll out the COVID-19 vaccine clinic at the Ranson Civic Center. Read the Full Story >>
2021 American Conservation Film Festival
The American Conservation Film Festival (ACFF), now in its eighteenth year, is presenting 48 contemporary films in an online festival format for 2021. Aside from the obvious shift away from in-person venues at the National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) and Shepherd University, the biggest change to this year’s format is the flexibility of watching any (or all) of the films at any time during the festival dates (March 24-28). Read the Full Story >>
Exhibit at Berkeley Art Works Celebrates Historic African-American Cemetery
Since 2017, a growing group of local residents has been working to restore the Green Hill Historic African-American Cemetery (GHHAAC) in Martinsburg. The idea for the show at Berkeley Art Works, Fresh Visions: An Exhibit to Celebrate the Green Hill Historic African-American Cemetery, was proposed by Berkeley Arts Council member and GHHAAC volunteer Charles Mortensen. Read the Full Story >>
Connecting Solar In Jefferson County
The Observer spoke with several energy industry professionals with experience in the development and management of utility-scale energy projects to understand the general context for the types of large-scale solar projects being proposed for Jefferson County. We also researched the specific topography of the local power grid and land to understand both the potential and constraints for these types of solar projects in Jefferson County. Read the Full Story >>
A Look At Rural Zoning In Jefferson County
While it’s common to think of land designated with rural zoning as reserved for agriculture, it’s really a category with many allowed uses, not all directly related to agriculture. Read the Full Story >>
Transportation Hub for the Eastern Panhandle
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 >>
Perspectives On America In 2020
The Observer asked Eileen Berger, owner of Just Lookin’ Gallery, to recommend some artists who have been addressing the issues that have riveted our collective attention over the past year. Read the Full Story >>
Taking Waters Into Their Own Hands
Concerned that West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) oversight is insufficient to protect the water underlying their property from the threat of pollutants from the planned nearby Rockwool factory, a group of local residents is hiring experts to test their water to establish a record to use in possible future legal action. Read the Full Story >>
Coming Together to Talk Politics
After the past year of 24/7 political and pandemic coverage, it might seem odd to hear David Welch say “we need to talk more about politics, not less.” The director of the Stubblefield Institute for Civil Political Communications at Shepherd University is quick to point out that he means being able to have constructive conversations. Read the Full Story >>
Civics and Civility for Students
Beyond its conversation events and programming, the Stubblefield Institute’s mission extends to being a catalyst for introducing the topic of civil political communication across the Shepherd University campus. Read the Full Story >>
The Eastern Panhandle Transit Authority Rides Out The Pandemic
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 >>
Talking Across Time & Space
Adam Booth credits a course he took with Rachael Meads in the Appalachian Studies department at Shepherd University for starting him on the path to becoming a professional storyteller, a passion he has pursued as a career for the past fifteen years. Read the Full Story >>
Lilah Restaurant Opens with Warm Vibes & Dog Treats
There is an energy when you walk in the door at Lilah, even when there are no customers inside. Perhaps it’s the wood-fired oven blazing through the open window into the kitchen. Perhaps it’s Connie Heyer working to put together the dining room or Kevin Longmire and the staff hustling in the kitchen. Perhaps it’s the smiling image capturing the memory of the Heyers’ dog Lilah overlooking the bar. Whatever the source, it’s clear that you’ll be welcomed into Shepherdstown’s newest restaurant. Read the Full Story >>
Bushel & Peck Receives Grant to Expand Operations
Whether you choose to measure by the bushel or peck, there’s no denying that a recent $125,000 grant awarded to local grocer Bushel & Peck will soon allow the organization to offer a lot more local, healthy food to the community. Read the Full Story >>