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Latest Stories

Two Commissioners Refuse To Meet

Local Woman Plays For USA Team In Amputee Soccer Tournament

Shepherdstown Day Care Center Celebrates 50 Years

Imaginary Horribles – An Artist’s Perspective

Local Residents Will Perform “The Anvil” At Courthouse In October

Friends Of Music Presents Poulenc Trio In October

Halloween Fun In Jefferson County

Events & Activities – October 2023

Comment On Air Permit Modification For Rockwool Factory In Ranson Due Oct 23

Jefferson County Planning Commission Takes Comments On Future Land Use

The Emotional Benefits Of Fishing

Stall Tactics On Jefferson County Commission

Read all stories

In Print

Observer 2023-08 cover

Shepherdstown

Route 340 Closure Traffic Will Hit Jefferson County And Surrounding Region

August, 2023 Tagged With: Boonsboro, Harpers Ferry, In Print Sep 2023, Route 340, Sharpsburg, Shepherdstown, traffic, Transportation

southbound traffic backs up across Rumsey Bridge in Shepherdston

Alternate routes to the official Route 340 detour have bottlenecks and speed limits. Read the Full Story >>

Award for Shepherdstown Water Operator

June, 2023 Tagged With: In Print July 2023, Shepherdstown, Shepherdstown Water

Woody Coe of the Shepherdstown Water Department wins the 2023 Perkins Boynton award. Read the Full Story >>

New Ideas Bloom at Dogwood General Store

April, 2023 Tagged With: Dogwood General, In Print Apr 2023, Shepherdstown

Shepherdstown locals have long been reclaiming historic spaces; access to old buildings with a rich history is part of the charm of this small town. Walking into the new Dogwood General store on German Street feels as though the building itself has reclaimed its original incarnation Read the Full Story >>

John Doyle – 2022 Jefferson County Commission Candidate

October, 2022 Tagged With: In Print Nov 22, In Print Oct 2022, Jefferson County Commission, Jennifer Krouse, John Doyle, November 2022 elections, Shepherdstown

John Doyle is the 2022 Democratic Party candidate for the Shepherdstown seat on the Jefferson County Commission. Read the Full Story >>

Jennifer Krouse – 2022 Jefferson County Commission Candidate

October, 2022 Tagged With: In Print Nov 22, In Print Oct 2022, Jefferson County Commission, Jennifer Krouse, John Doyle, November 2022 elections, Shepherdstown

Jennifer Krouse is the 2022 Democratic Party candidate for the Shepherdstown seat on the Jefferson County Commission. Read the Full Story >>

Danielle Corsetto & Elephant Town

October, 2022 Tagged With: Danielle Corsetto, Elephant Town, In Print Oct 2022, Shepherdstown

Corsetto’s current project is Elephant Town, a graphic novel that she updates on a biweekly (ish) schedule on its own website. “It’s a passion project,” she says, about the drama set in Shepherdstown. Read the Full Story >>

Help For Rent, Mortgage & Utility Payments

February, 2022 Tagged With: COVID-19, financial assistance, In Print Mar 2022, Jefferson County Community Ministries, Mountaineer Rental Assistance Program, rental assistance, Shepherdstown

individuals and families throughout West Virginia, but there are grant programs available to help keep people in their homes.  Read the Full Story >>

Rethinking Our Roads for Shared Use

June, 2021 Tagged With: biking, Charles Town, commuting, CR-13, economic development, Hagerstown/Eastern Panhandle Metropolitan Planning Organization, Shepherdstown, traffic, walking, WV-45, WV-51

Line graph showing how traffic in Jefferson County WV has steadily increased in 2000 in line with population and economic growth in the region.

It’s hard to miss Interstate Highways 81 and 70, the most visible transportation projects in our area funded with Federal dollars. But our transportation infrastructure is much more than highways. Read the Full Story >>

Connecting for Growth in Shepherdstown

June, 2021 Tagged With: biking, economic development, Hagerstown/Eastern Panhandle Metropolitan Planning Organization, Shepherdstown, traffic, walking, WV-45

A rendering of WV 45 with bike and pedestrian paths.

HEPMPO is drafting a vision plan for Martinsburg Pike to the west of Shepherdstown. This area has been identified as a growth zone for Jefferson County in its comprehensive plan. Read the Full Story >>

Rock Hill Creamery Opens In Downtown Shepherdstown

June, 2021 Tagged With: German Street, ice cream, Rock Hill Creamery, Shepherdstown

Menu board for the Rock HIll Creamery.

“I’m using the recipes I got from Gary,” says Fuhrmann. “Keeping it simple makes for good ice cream and because I make it right here each week I don’t need to add preservatives. Gary once made 80 batches a week – I’m making just a fraction of that, so I know I have lots of room to grow. Read the Full Story >>

WVU Medicine Lands Facility in Shepherdstown

February, 2020 Tagged With: healthcare, primary care, Shepherdstown, WVU Medicine

WVU Medicine building.

WVU Medicine plans to build a 10,700-square-foot medical office building (MOB) located on Route 45 west of downtown Shepherdstown near Sheetz, which will house two physician’s office suites—one for primary care and one for specialists.  Read the Full Story >>

Holiday Blessing: Shepherdstown Boasts Tour of Historic Churches

November, 2019 Tagged With: Christmas, historic churches, Historic Shepherdstown Commission, Shepherdstown, Shepherdstown Community Club, Shepherdstown Visitors Center

Bells will be ringing in Shepherdstown on the day after Christmas. Jerry Bock and Bruce Massey of the Historic Shepherdstown Commission announce the Second-Annual “Shepherdstown Tour of Historic Churches.” Read the Full Story >>

Shepherdstown Debates the Emergence of Transient Lodging

January, 2019 Tagged With: Airbnb, Shepherdstown, tourism, Transient Lodging Taskforce, zoning

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 >>

The Yellow House: Quietly One of Shepherdstown’s Oldest Homes

December, 2018 Tagged With: historic preservation, Shepherd University, Shepherdstown, The Yellow House

Shepherdstown is often designated the oldest town in West Virginia—some thirty-odd years older than the nation itself. High Street is considered to be the oldest street in town—used by pioneers crossing the Potomac River at Pack Horse Ford when they came up over the bluffs to the town—and on it sits a building named the Catherine Weltzheimer House, a.k.a., The Yellow House, circa 1817. Read the Full Story >>

Pride Festival Celebrates LGBTQ+ Community with Appalachian Flair

June, 2018 Tagged With: Eastern Panhandle Pride, LGBTQ, Shepherdstown

When Eastern Panhandle Pride began organizing Shepherdstown’s annual Pride celebration, founder Mark Harding had a few fresh ideas. “We wanted to be sure that we’re showcasing our rural heritage,” Harding said—having grown up in a rural area that instilled in him an appreciation for Appalachian culture—and for the unique brand of pride shown by rural LGBTQ+ communities.  Read the Full Story >>

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