• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Observer

Stories of West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle

  • Home
  • Sightline Stories
    • Jefferson County Ambulance Services
    • School Construction In Jefferson County
    • Solar in Jefferson County
    • Remembering Hartstown
    • Waters of Jefferson County
    • 2022 Elections
    • Ambulances
  • Columnists
    • Editor’s Notes
    • Book Reviews
    • Nature
    • Environment
    • Education
    • Health & Wellness
    • Local History
    • Law
    • Government & Politics
    • A Little Time Away
  • Newsletter Sign-up

Primary Sidebar

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

Moulton Family Transfers 82 Acres To Expand Local Park

Grandparents Day Has West Virginia Roots

Making Connections To Overcome Roadblocks

Read all stories

In Print

Observer 2023-08 cover

SIGHTLINE

Solar in Jefferson County

April, 2022 Tagged With: renewable energy, SIGHTLINE, SIGHTLINE INTRODUCES, solar, zoning

lines of solar panels that extend far into the distance which are part of a commercial solar array.

Jefferson County could be home to several large scale solar power projects - if the County can amend its zoning to permit these facilities. There has been much discussion, several amendments, and several lawsuits since this process began in 2020.  Read the Full Story >>

Celebrate By Giving

October, 2021 Tagged With: charitable giving, food pantry, Jefferson County Community Ministries, Shepherdstown Shares

The holiday season can be a joyful time of year, where friends and family come together to celebrate and give thanks. It can also be an opportunity to give back to your community and help others. Consider supporting the mission of one of the many local charitable organizations that assist community members in need. Read the Full Story >>

Waters of Jefferson County

October, 2021 Tagged With: drinking water, groundwater, karst geology, SIGHTLINE, SIGHTLINE INTRODUCES, water monitoring, water pollution, West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection

a riffle in a stream.

What is karst? Who is responsible for protecting surface waters and groundwater in WV? How can community members ensure the safety of their drinking water resources. This SIGHTLINE covers topics surrounding water in Jefferson County. Read the Full Story >>

Court Ruling Undoes Zoning Amendment For Industrial Solar

August, 2021 Tagged With: Circuit Court of Jefferson County, Jefferson County Commission, SIGHTLINE, solar, zoning

electrical power lines stretch in to the distance while a "dead end" sign is visible in the foreground.

On August 16, Judge Debra McLaughlin, in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County, issued a ruling that invalidated the text amendment ZTA1903 to the Jefferson County zoning ordinance. The now-invalidated amendment was written to allow development of utility-scale solar power facilities as a principal permitted use in rural, residential growth and other open lands in the county.  Read the Full Story >>

Tracking Solar Installations

August, 2021 Tagged With: economic development, SIGHTLINE, solar, zoning

A map of the 138 kV electrical grid in Jefferson County and proposed utility-scale solar projects.

During the discussions of the now-invalidated zoning amendment, several citizens expressed concern that the broad expansion of the amendment to include by-right development of industrial solar in rural and residential growth zones would open up most of the county as potential sites for these facilities. Read the Full Story >>

Public Meetings: Solar Zoning

August, 2021 Tagged With: Jefferson County Commission, Jefferson County Planning Commission, public comment, public hearing, SIGHTLINE, solar, zoning

138,000 volt transmission lines near Kabletown.

Stay on top of current and upcoming opportunities for Jefferson County residents to engage in the zoning amendment process for utility-scale solar development. Read the Full Story >>

Remembering Hartstown

August, 2020 Tagged With: Boyd Carter, Cemetery, civil war, Hartstown, Kearneysville Methodist Cemetery, rockwool, SIGHTLINE INTRODUCES

St. Paul’s Church — paid for and built by the members of the congregation.

Appalachia is often viewed through a narrow lens. The stories of Black communities throughout the region are often left untold or simply overlooked. Acknowledging these communities and preserving their stories helps us to truly understand the broad patterns of the cultural landscape in which we live today. Read the Full Story >>

Perspectives from a Local Solar Professional

July, 2020 Tagged With: renewable energy, SIGHTLINE, solar, zoning

high stalks of corn with solar panels barely visible over the top of the cornstalks.

For the first article in this series, we invited Danny Chiotos to research and address some questions about the nature of the specific solar generation project that initiated the request for proposed zoning amendment ZTA 19-03. Read the Full Story >>

A Timeline Of Zoning For Solar

July, 2020 Tagged With: renewable energy, SIGHTLINE, SIGHTLINE INTRODUCES, solar, zoning

lines of solar panels that extend far into the distance which are part of a commercial solar array.

Jefferson County began to amend its zoning ordinance to allow for utility-scale solar in 2020. The process has had several setbacks, but a vote by the County Commission on April 5, 2022 has restarted the amendment process. Read the Full Story >>

Footer

Topics

  • Community
  • Economy & Environment
  • Education
  • Government
  • Public Health

Sightline Stories

  • Solar in Jefferson County
  • Remembering Hartstown

Columnists

  • WV Perspectives
  • Book Reviews
  • Nature
  • Environment
  • Education
  • Health & Wellness
  • Local History
  • Government & Politics

The Observer

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Connect With Us
  • Print Issues
  • Terms of Use

Follow Us

  • Facebook

Copyright © 2023 WV Independent Observer LLC · Log in