featured
CHARLES TOWN – Twice in recent weeks, Charles Town utility digging crews closed off the same first block of West Washington Street to repair a broken sewer pipe.
THIS WEEK
CHARLES TOWN—The motto of the United States Postal Service is, “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” Now visitors to the Jefferson County Museum online or in person can see how the post office system has …
CHARLES TOWN – Darrell Jones, the hands-on sole proprietor of SVG Commercial Cleaning in Charles Town, has been turning away clients because he doesn’t have enough employees to do the work.
A memorial to the thousands of Americans who were involved with the American Civil War is being created by nationally recognized sculptor Gary Casteel. However, it remains a memorial without a home.
RANSON —A tornado passed through Ranson and parts of Charles Town early Monday night, causing mild to moderate damage.
RANSON – After another election, there’s another discussion with a new Jefferson County Commission on how to financially sustain the county’s seven volunteer fire departments.
HARPERS FERRY — It has taken nearly three years, but the Jefferson County Welcome Center, formerly the Jefferson County Convention and Visitors Bureau, officially opened its doors Saturday.
CHARLES TOWN – As many as 1,200 children in Jefferson County could be considered homeless under a broad federal definition of the term, and coordinating the work of about six dozen government and charity social services efforts can better address the problem.
KEARNEYSVILLE —Back in 2010, the Brown Marmorated stink bug cost farmers more than $37 million with its invasion and destruction of crops, in addition to populating in huge numbers in area homes. However, the future is a bright one thanks to the work of Tracy Leskey of the Appalachian Fruit …
CHARLES TOWN – Lolita Kirk remembers several flash points during her 30-year career in public health. The mobilization of the health community during the H1N1 influenza pandemic in 2009, she said — that was a hectic, stressful time.
CHARLES TOWN – State officials, including Gov. Jim Justice, now recognize that Jefferson County and other counties haven’t received as many coronavirus vaccination doses as they should have—and that they’re working to correct the disparity.
CHARLES TOWN – During the past eight weeks as West Virginia distributed 439,960 coronavirus vaccines across the state, just 5,331 doses went into the arms of Jefferson County residents.
CHARLES TOWN – As recently released vaccine distribution numbers have demonstrated, getting Jefferson County its fair share of coronavirus vaccine has proven to be a challenge for state officials.
OPINION
Congressional Democrats are trying to pass the biggest immigration amnesty in decades on a strict party-line vote, using the “budget reconciliation” process to deny Republicans any say in the matter. The proposal could offer citizenship — and work permits — to millions of people who illegally crossed the border or overstayed their visas.
Editor’s Note: This column appears courtesy of American Greatness. More of Chuck's stories can be found at: www.amgreatness.com
SPORTS
SHEPHERDSTOWN – Shepherd University quarterback Tyson Bagent had two choices in the closing seconds of Saturday’s playoff game with Notre Dame College.
SHEPHERDSTOWN – Last basketball season’s schedule was disrupted just like those of many other other high school teams across the country.
After having no league play last year, Shepherd University’s men’s and women’s basketball teams have their respective Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) openers on Friday at Butcher Center in Shepherdstown.
turday night Charles Town offered the $75,000 West Virginia Futurity for state-bred two-year-olds that capped Thanksgiving Day weekend racing locally and the stakes schedule at the Jefferson County oval for the calendar year of 2021.
There were plenty of accolades to go around Shepherd University’s campus last week when it came to athletics success.
It’s been quite a few years since Jefferson High School’s football team has been able to boast the success it enjoyed this past season.
Several weeks ago when Del Mar Race Course in Southern California hosted the Breeders Cup World Championships, nearly a dozen horses with ties to the Mid-Atlantic region competed for instant fame and glory on both turf and dirt and at least one of them had used Charles Town as a springboard …
Shepherd University clinging to a seven-point lead in the last two minutes of Saturday’s contest, Rams coach Ernie McCook knew an onside kick was coming from University of Findlay’s special teams.
SHEPHERDSTOWN — Shepherd University’s women’s basketball team has cracked the top 10 in the most recent D2SIDA Women’s Basketball Atlantic Region poll.
$175,000 Cavada Breeders Classic and the reigning West Virginia-bred horse of the year. Sent out as the 1-9 favorite in the group of state-bred distaffers, Star of Night made a case for defending her horse of the year title.
SHENANDOAH JUNCTION – There wasn’t much time left for Jefferson High School’s football team to turn things around against upstart Hurricane High School last Saturday in the first round of the statewide WVSSAC Class AAA playoffs.
SHEPHERDSTOWN – Like many winter sports last year, Shepherd University’s men’s and women’s basketball teams did not have regular schedules.
Last fall, Jefferson County high school swimmers and their parents got the bad news from school board officials—there would be no regular season meets, mostly due to the unavailability of the swimming pool at Shepherd University’s Wellness Center.
Following its 55-0 shutout win over Clarion University on Saturday at Ram Stadium, Shepherd’s football team found out it will host University of Findlay at noon this Saturday in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs.
It turned out to be a remarkable season for Washington High School’s boys’ soccer team.
CHARLES TOWN – Three weeks after hosting nine stakes races on its annual West Virginia Breeders Classics card, Charles Town offered the $75,000 Eleanor Casey Memorial for state-bred two-year-old fillies last Saturday night.
SHEPHERDSTOWN -- No question. When Shepherd University quarterback Tyson Bagent drops back into the passing pocket, he’s well into his comfort zone.
Walter Barr’s reputation as a no-nonsense, demanding football coach spanned more than 40 years, including 15 at Shepherd University as the Rams’ head coach.
CHARLES TOWN – Three weeks after hosting nine stakes races on its annual West Virginia Breeders Classics card, Charles Town offered the $75,000 Eleanor Casey Memorial for state-bred two-year-old fillies last Saturday night.
SHENANDOAH JUNCTION – With its 43-7 win over Hedgesville High School last Friday night, Jefferson High School’s football team all but clinched a berth in the WVSSAC’s Class AAA playoffs, which begin in two weeks.
Tyson Bagent’s passing proficiency once again carried Shepherd University’s football team to another win last Saturday.
SHENANDOAH JUNCTION – It’s no secret where Jefferson High School’s football team gets a good chunk of its talented athletes and much of its recent success. All it has to do is look across the street to Wildwood Middle School.
For the second straight match, Washington High School's boys’ soccer team endured an overtime period to stave off elimination in the post-season.
MARTINSBURG – Following Jefferson’s 42-3 loss to unbeaten, and top-ranked, Martinsburg last Friday night at Cobourn Field, Cougars’ coach Craig Hunter made one thing very clear to his team, in the post-game huddle.
CHARLES TOWN – One minute, Washington’s Will Morgan is taking aim at Jefferson’s goal in last Thursday’s Class AAA, Region II Sectional boys soccer match. He remembers the ball bouncing off the crossbar straight down. The official signaled the ball had bounced behind the goal line and a goal…
CHARLES TOWN – Although the two tracks may seem to have little in common at first glance, both Charles Town, a thoroughbred oval gradually approaching 100 years of existence, and Harrington Raceway, a half-mile harness racing oval near the Delaware beaches, would appear to have little in common.
SHEPHERDSTOWN – West Chester found a way to push Shepherd’s defense around a bit on Saturday at Ram Stadium, but the Rams’ defense dug in when it needed to on West Chester’s last possession of the game.
Led by Kyle de Nobel and Addie LaBombard, Jefferson swept the WVSSAC Class AAA, Region II championships last Thursday at Hedgesville High School.
All eyes are going to be on the Eastern Panhandle this Friday night at Coburn Field in Martinsburg, where a long-anticipated matchup between two top undefeated Eastern Panhandle Athletic Conference rivals is going to take place.
CHARLES TOWN – While the Classic and the Cavada took center stage on the recent West Virginia Breeders Classics night card here on Oct. 9, a number of other state-bred runners of both genders and all ages delivered commendable efforts in the bevy of $75,000 stakes on the undercard.
Shepherd University used a little bit of everything on Saturday in a 38-13 win at Millersville University in Millersville, Pennsylvania.
Washington’s boys and Jefferson’s girls enjoyed successful seasons this fall and are being rewarded with top seeds in the WVSSAC Class AAA, Region II, sectional playoffs this week.
CHARLES TOWN – Last Saturday night Charles Town hosted the 35th edition of the $1 million West Virginia Breeders Classics card amid ideal autumn conditions, with the two main events, the $300,000 Classic and $175,000 Cavada, taking center stage on the latter portion of the program.
SHENANDOAH JUNCTION – Last Friday’s matchup with once-beaten James Wood High School, of Winchester, Virginia, served as an indicator as to just how much Jefferson’s football team has progressed over the last two years.
It's been a trying season for Jefferson High School’s volleyball team.
A year ago, Jefferson’s football team was struggling just to win a few games. Eventually, the Cougars finished with a 3-6 record.
This Saturday night Charles Town will host the 35th edition of the $1 million West Virginia Breeders Classics, and the nine-race card is likely to have a familiar theme surrounding a prolific trainer-jockey combination.
Washington's girl's soccer team may have gotten off to a sluggish start, but now that the Patriots have played more than half of their schedule, things are starting to come into clearer focus.
SHEPHERDSTOWN – It’s not always a given when a former local high school standout, opting to attend a nearby college, continues his or her success at the local college.
HAGERSTOWN, Md. – Craig Hunter, longtime coach of Jefferson High School’s football team, said he knew several years ago he had experienced players coming through the middle school ranks. For that reason, he was confident the Cougars would eventually become a strong team.
A. Wayne Nichols, 66, of Kearneysville, West Virginia, went to be with the Lord on Friday, November 26, 2021 at Hospice of the Panhandle in Kearneysville.
Richard Halvey Sanderson Jr., 80, of Kearneysville, WV passed away October 23, 2021 at his residence.
Alexander Miller died peacefully at home surrounded by his family on Wednesday, November 17th, 2021, due to complications from cholangiocarcinoma.
Martha Rebecca Ruffner, “Butterfly,” 73, of Winchester Virginia, passed away on Tuesday, November, 16, 2021 at Winchester Medical Center.
Dora Mae Custer, 71, of Kearneysville, West Virginia passed away Tuesday, November 16, 2021 at Jefferson Medical Center in Ranson, West Virginia.
Thomas “Allen” Whitmore Jr., 38, passed away on October 24, 2021 from a long-term illness, while surrounded by his family.
Michael Eugene “Mike” Alvarez, 73, of Kabletown, WV, passed away on Tuesday, November 9, 2021 at Winchester Medical Center.
Margaret F. Smith, affectionately known as Marge, was born on July 18, 1928, to Donald J. and Edith M. Farley in Spanishburg, West Virginia.
Mary Margaret Sharaba passed away October 31, 2021 at her residence.
Richard Lee Ring Sr., 67, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia passed away on Wednesday, November 3, 2021 at Berkeley Medical Center in Martinsburg, West Virginia.
Timothy “Bruce” Hostler Sr., a life-long resident of Jefferson County, WV, passed away on November 6, 2021, at the age of 53, in Kearneysville, WV.
Reva Nicodemus Mickey, 82, of Charles Town, WV, passed away peacefully on November 4, 2021, at her home on Cloverdale Farm surrounded by her loving family under the care of Hospice of the Panhandle. Reva was born on April 27, 1939, in Charles Town. She was the daughter of the late Calvin Lee…
Mae E. Kearns, 84, of Middleway, passed away at her residence on September 29, 2021. Mae was born on April 15, 1937 and grew up on a farm in Jefferson County, WV.
Eleanor Louise Dodson, 84, of Charles Town, West Virginia passed away at home on Friday, November 5, 2021.
Joan Arthur Platten, 81, of Charles Town, West Virginia passed away on Friday, November 5, 2021 at Willow Tree Healthcare Center.
Frances Louise Barron, 73, of Summit Point passed away on Tuesday, November 2, 2021 at Canterbury Center in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.
Roger Dale Johnston Sr., 71, of Miami, Oklahoma passed away on Saturday, October 23 at Hillcrest Medical Center in Tulsa.
Margaret Joanne Crotchett Woollen, 87, of Charles Town, WV, passed away on October 18, 2021 under the dedicated supportive care of Shenandoah Genesis Center and Hospice of the Panhandle. Her family wishes to acknowledge and thank the staff for the provided care.
Angela Faith Piper, 69, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia passed away on October 19, 2021.
Robert Taylor Hall, Sr., 83, of Winchester, VA, passed away Sunday, October 17, 2021 at Blue Ridge Hospice Inpatient Care Center.
Jonathan Westley Day departed this life on Friday, October 15, following a long battle with depression. Jonathan was beloved by his family, friends, and students, and will be remembered by all who knew him for his humor, creativity, intelligence, and kindness.
E. Kirk Baylor Sr., 81, of Charles Town, passed away Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021.
Patricia “Pat” Ann Darr, 71, of Harpers Ferry, WV passed away Friday, October 15, 2021 at her residence.
Paula Renee Payne, loving wife, mother, daughter, friend and dedicated registered nurse, passed away Sunday, October 10, 2021 in Myrtle Beach, SC at the age 55 due to complications from the coronavirus. She was born into this world on June 16, 1966 in Charles Town, WV, where she spent most o…
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our dearly loved one, Kenny Watson. He passed away peacefully at Winchester Medical Center on October 5, 2021. He was the son of the late Nelson and Nancy Weller Watson.
