After the massive flooding that devastated much of West Virginia in 2016, the Legislature established the Flood Resiliency Fund. The Flood Resiliency Fund was created so that West Virginia would be prepared to immediately aid people who experienced killer floods in the future, but the ...
For the umpteenth time, the West Virginia Legislature adjourned a session without authorizing “locality pay.” West Virginia, unlike most states, has no provision for differences in pay for teachers, troopers and other state or school workers based on differences in regional cost-of-living. ...
Governor Patrick Morrisey wasn’t able to pass much of his agenda, during the recently completed regular session of the Legislature. But his one major success was the passage of HB 2014, the so-called “microgrid” bill. I think HB 2014 doesn’t bode well for Jefferson County. A ...
The Jefferson County Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) ruled on Jan. 23 that a business located between the Cavaland subdivision and the Shepherdstown Battlefield could have a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to sell, manufacture and test firearms on its property. The vote was 2-1 (the BZA is a ...
On Dec. 16, a public hearing on the proposed Middleway bottling plant was postponed by court order. The hearing, which would have been held the following day (Dec. 17) by the Jefferson County Planning Commission, will now take place on Feb. 11. The delay had been sought by the Jefferson County ...
On Nov. 12, over a hundred people attended a public hearing regarding a proposal for a bottled water plant in Middleway. The plant would occupy the space of the old abandoned 3M plant. I believe that’s now a “brownfield” (a polluted area awaiting cleanup). Most of those in attendance ...
On Oct. 21, the Jefferson County Commission at its regular meeting officially received the proposed new comprehensive plan submitted by the County Planning Commission. The next step in the process is a public hearing on the new plan, to be held in early December. Some time after that hearing, ...
The Jefferson County Planning Commission has proposed a new comprehensive plan for our county. It should be changed considerably or be rejected by the Jefferson County Commission. Of 55 counties in West Virginia, only five have countywide zoning (four others have partial zoning). Jefferson was ...
Recently the Charles Town Utility Board (CTUB) resoundingly rejected a bid by West Virginia American Water (WVAW) to take over the sewer system for Charles Town, Ranson and the surrounding unincorporated area. I think this is good news for the Eastern Panhandle. A couple of years ago, WVAW ...
Back in April, I went into my friendly neighborhood chain convenience store to buy two daily newspapers (Washington Post and Martinsburg Journal). I usually pay a six percent tax, but this time I was charged seven percent. Currently, the West Virginia state sales tax is six percent, and ...