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Latest Stories

WV DEP Issues Permit For Sidewinder Water Line Construction

Observer Weekly — September 3, 2026

Two Years Of Charles Town “Walks About Nothing”

Observer Weekly — August 27, 2026

Observer Weekly — August 20, 2026

Interactive Map Of Valley North Transmission Line Potenial Paths In Jefferson County

Jefferson County Fair Filled With Fun, Food and Community Spirit

Kickball Challenge Supports School Supplies Collection

Data Center Plan From West Virginia Department Of Commerce Light On Details

Observer Weekly — August 13, 2026

County Commission Stonewalls On FOIA Requests?

Observer Weekly — August 6, 2026

Read all stories

SIGHTLINE

Blake Solar Project Receives Multiple Environmental Violation Notices

February 1, 2024 Tagged With: In Print Feb 2024, solar, solar permitting, stormwater

sediment in stormwater discharges from Blake solar project

The Blake industrial solar facility near Charles Town has received numerous violation notices involving stormwater runoff. Read the Full Story >>

A Timeline Of Zoning For Solar

June 17, 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 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 >>

Celebrate By Giving

October 27, 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 1, 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 25, 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 25, 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 16, 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 1, 2020 Tagged With: Boyd Carter, Cemetery, civil war, Hartstown, Kearneysville, Kearneysville Methodist Cemetery, rockwool

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 30, 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 >>

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