There’s a lot of hard work going on in West Virginia. But there’s also a lot of fun and play too. According to the West Virginia Department of Tourism, travel-related spending totaled $4.9 billion in 2021. That works out to just under 7 percent of the state’s “gross domestic product” (GDP). Read the Full Story >>
Economy & Environment
Agriculture at Home Program Promotes Local Products
Drive around Jefferson County and you will see evidence of agricultural production. But, where can you buy locally-grown and made products? Later this month a new program launches to help make it easier to find and buy such products. Read the Full Story >>
Windy Days are Important
Looking out the kitchen window one morning last week, I thought it had started to snow. When I went out later, I saw that my “snowflakes” were really the fluffy seeds of sycamore trees. Read the Full Story >>
Rockwool Commits To Improving Stormwater Management At Its Ranson Factory
ROCKWOOL has agreed to additional studies, inspections, and drainage improvements that will further strengthen stormwater handling and control at its Ranson facility. Read the Full Story >>
West Virginia Legislators Consider Regulations For PFAS Chemicals
Proposed legislation would require the WV Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to identify sources of PFAS in water sources and address sources of PFAS for certain public water systems with action plans. Read the Full Story >>
New Housing Construction Up Again in Jefferson County
New Home Construction in Jefferson County continued at a rapid pace for the second year in a row in 2022 and shows no signs of slowing down in 2023. Read the Full Story >>
Jefferson County Selects Comcast For GigReady Program
The Jefferson County Commission selected Comcast to expand high speed internet throughout Jefferson County. Read the Full Story >>
Preventing Bird Window Strikes
What should you do when a bird strikes a window of your house? Read the Full Story >>
Howling Around Town With Coyotes
Over the past 20 years, coyotes have successfully repopulated in the eastern half of the United States. Read the Full Story >>
Native Woodrats Return To Jefferson County
Native wildlife returns to West Virginia - Biologists spot two Allegheny woodrats in Harpers Ferry National Historic Park. Read the Full Story >>
Conversations About Local Growth
Share your thoughts and concerns on local growth with theStubblefield Institute for Civil Political Communications at Shepherd University. Read the Full Story >>
Readers Share Some Nature Tricks & Treats
As we spend time outside studying nature, it’s reassuring to observe familiar things year after year. And yet there always remains an element of surprise. Two readers shared their most recent nature surprises with me this past month. Read the Full Story >>
Jefferson County Purchases Ambulances
The Jefferson County Commission takes additional steps to reorganize the county's EMS services. The Commission approved plans to purchase 10 ambulances from volunteer companies, but questions on locations, organization, and budget still need answers. Read the Full Story >>
Questions for Solar Projects
The County Commission discussed permit fees for solar projects at its July 21 meeting. The commissioners discussed a range of fees, with Commissioner Jane Tabb proposing $700,000 to ensure the County covers its review and inspection costs while Commissioner Steve Stolipher suggested a cap of $75,000. Projects of similar size in nearby jurisdictions pay permit fees ranging from $700,000 to $1,400,000. The Commission decided to defer a decision and requested staff to provide further research and recommendations to be presented at a future meeting (Aug 4 or Aug 18). Read the Full Story >>
Shepherdstown Looks at Comprehensive Plan
The Comprehensive Plan for the Corporation of Shepherdstown is due for an update. As a first step, the Town Council has authorized the Planning Commission to create a committee of volunteers to review and assess the Town’s progress towards the goals set forth in the 2014 plan. Read the Full Story >>