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.
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 >>
The Pandemic is Here & Now
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 >>
Stocking the Shelves
When The Observer spoke with Greg Petersen of the Jefferson County Community Ministries (JCCM) for our July 2020 issue, the Food Pantry operated by JCCM in downtown Charles Town was in the early days of navigating the pandemic and the staff was anticipating a sharp increase in demand. We recently touched base with John Cloyd, Greg’s colleague at JCCM to see what they experienced over the summer and what they expect this winter. Read the Full Story >>
Jefferson County is Horse Country
Driving around, it’s easy to see the agricultural activity that surrounds us in Jefferson County, but it often seems at a distance. As part of a planned series of articles looking at the activities that have defined Jefferson County across several centuries, The Observer recently visited one of these operations — the Blue Spruce Farm in Kearneysville WV. Read the Full Story >>
Counting on the Well Water
After the WV Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) issued a notice on November 5, 2020 that it was authorizing the Rockwool stone wool insulation manufacturing facility in Ranson to operate under a general water pollution control permit, the Jefferson County Foundation noted that the source water protection area map submitted as part of the facility’s application process marked only 4 drinking water wells within the one mile buffer zone. Read the Full Story >>
Organizing Allies in WV
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 >>
Running the COVID Marathon
Health experts around the globe have been warning of the risk of a pandemic like COVID-19 for years — and they tell us that we can expect similar viruses to break out in the future. Dr. Mark Cucuzzella suggests that our current approach has focused on hiding from this virus and he makes the case that it’s just as important to strengthen our resistance to COVID-19 and future viruses — in other words, healthier lifestyles for healthier immune systems. Read the Full Story >>
Thomas Shepherd Inn Reopens
In the spring of 2020, Bryan and Cathy were pondering the implications of the unfolding pandemic, and Cathy’s employer decided her days as a salesperson on the road were at an end. A friend called to tell them that the Thomas Shepherd Inn was coming on the market. Then another friend called. And another. They arranged to visit the property on the day it was first open for showing. Standing in the back yard after walking through, they had already decided to make an offer. Read the Full Story >>
Music Performance Transposed for COVID-19
The Music School at Shepherd University makes a point to be a highly personalized experience for its students. In contrast to many programs at larger institutions, Shepherd is focused on undergraduates and emphasizes the opportunities for its students to study directly with faculty. Unfortunately, the very adjectives that one would use to describe music programs in general and Shepherd’s program specifically — intimate, group, performance, together — also describe the activities the health department advises against during the pandemic health crisis. Read the Full Story >>