The National Conservation Training Center, located just north of Shepherdstown, will be open to the public on May 11. Read the Full Story >>
Economy & Environment
The Wild Ramp Is A Local Treat
Doug Pifer writes about falling in love with ramps, an important part of West Virginia's cultural heritage. Read the Full Story >>
Canada Geese Stay Close To Home
Doug Pifer welcomes the sight of a high-flying V of Canada geese as they migrate to and from their northern nesting grounds each year. Read the Full Story >>
Blake Solar Project Receives Multiple Environmental Violation Notices
The Blake industrial solar facility near Charles Town has received numerous violation notices involving stormwater runoff. Read the Full Story >>
Housing Construction Continues To Rise In Jefferson County
County-wide, including Charles Town and Ranson, there were 776 permits issued to begin new home construction in 2023. Read the Full Story >>
Harvest Hills Project Requests Rezoning, Plan Shows 1,000 New Houses
Arcadia Land, the developer of the Harvest Hills subdivision, is asking to rezone the land from Rural (which limits density) to Residential Growth (which would allow high density). Read the Full Story >>
American Conservation Film Festival To Screen 27 Films In March
The 22nd edition of the American Conservation Film Festival will run from March 7 through March 10 in Shepherdstown. The 2024 festival will screen 27 films at the Frank Center on the Shepherd University campus. Read the Full Story >>
Witness The Winter Waterfowl
Thousands of ducks, geese, swans, and loons visit Jefferson County every year, stopping on the nearby Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers. Read the Full Story >>
New High-Voltage Transmission Line Proposed To Cross Jefferson County
PJM is proposing to construct a new 500 kV transmission line through Jefferson County by 2027. The new line would be built alongside the existing 500 kV line. Read the Full Story >>
Comment On Air Permit Modification For Rockwool Factory In Ranson Due Oct 23
The public can comment on WVDEP's proposed modifications for the Rockwool Ranson factory's air permit until October 23. Read the Full Story >>
Hammerhead Worm Has Odd Habits
Hammerhead flatworms, although recently touted as our latest alien threat, have been in the USA since 1891. Read the Full Story >>
Caterpillars With Eyes And Horns
Hog caterpillar (left) and sphinx caterpillar (right). Photo by D. Pifer. Last summer I was lucky to find two amazing-looking sphinx moth caterpillars. They were feeding together on a Virginia creeper vine growing up the bricks next to our back door. My wife had been asking me to remove the creeper vine before its tendrils Read the Full Story >>
Comprehensive Plan Survey Open For Public Comment
The general discussion at the June 5 session drilled down to identify specific concerns in these general areas. There was strong agreement among participants that natural beauty is a key asset of the county. Looking at the concern of growth and lack of infrastructure, participants suggested clustering development around existing urbanized areas of the county and a focus on improving the roads in those areas. Read the Full Story >>
Battle Between Kingbird and Hawk
Yesterday a hawk flew overhead. It was a Cooper’s hawk carrying prey in its talons, probably headed towards its nest of hungry young in our neighbor’s woods. But it also looked as if something was riding on its back. As the hawk flew over our upper pasture and headed for the woods, a smaller bird flew off the hawk’s back and returned to our field. I recognized the white banded tail tip of a kingbird. Drama over — and enemy departed — the kingbird returned to the vicinity of its nest. Read the Full Story >>
Tending to the Herb Garden
Hillary Banachowski, founder and owner of Sacred Roots in Shepherdstown, welcomes me to the land with bare feet and open arms. “This spring has been so weird!” she muses as sparse rain falls from a sunny sky. Banachowski has been an herb grower, educator, and steward on these beautiful 30-plus acres for seven years. Read the Full Story >>