Observer Weekly September 10, 2026 Jefferson County, WV news & events It’s hard to believe it’s been a quarter-century since September 11, 2001. I can vividly recall the bright blue cloudless sky as I was driving towards Crystal City in Arlington, listening to WTOP with “traffic and weather on the 8s” when I heard the news of a second plane crashing into the World Trade Center. The report of the first plane was a puzzle. The meaning of the second plane was unmistakably clear. What I remember...
8 days ago • 16 min read
Observer Weekly September 3, 2026 Jefferson County, WV news & events Our lead story this week is a continuation of The Observer’s coverage of the proposed Middleway water bottling project. We first highlighted Sidewinder's plans in November 2024 just before the company’s first presentation to the Jefferson County Planning Commission. History seems to be repeating itself in 2026, as we’ve unearthed a fresh permit for constructing a water pipeline for Sidewinder. If you’re new to the Observer...
15 days ago • 14 min read
Observer Weekly August 27, 2026 Jefferson County, WV news & events If you miss an issue of the Observer Weekly in your email, you can find our archives at ObserverWV.news. Another place to look is the ObserverWV.com website, which hosts highlights from our weekly reporting and a searchable archive of our stories from the past decade. As we approach the Labor Day weekend, we’re anticipating the return of popular fall events and activities, including the Appalachian Heritage Festival (see our...
22 days ago • 13 min read
Observer Weekly August 20, 2026 Jefferson County, WV news & events You can get a sense of the energy and excitement at the Jefferson County Fair by looking at pictures (link below), but for the best experience you need to hear, smell, and feel it in person. The fair is open through Saturday, so you have a few more days to check it out or you’ll need to wait until next year. Despite the fun at the fair, the work of local government goes on. The City Councils in both Charles Town and Ranson had...
29 days ago • 10 min read
Observer Weekly August 13, 2026 Jefferson County, WV news & events Earlier this week the Governor introduced what was billed as a big plan for guiding the development of data centers in West Virginia. Having followed this issue since the HB 2014 legislation was introduced last year, what was offered seemed a little short on specifics. Shepherdstown had a similar experience a few months ago when a proposal to evaluate a mixed-use plaza behind the Market House was presented without a lot of...
about 1 month ago • 15 min read
Observer Weekly August 6, 2026 Jefferson County, WV news & events Our lead story this week is a bit heavy on the process side of things, but it focuses on a pretty fundamental issue — how do governments respond to requests for public information? The state’s Freedom of Information Act rules are pretty clear, but the Jefferson County Commission seems to want to debate it — and possibly lobby for restrictions. The County says their resources are being taxed by a small number of individuals who...
about 1 month ago • 13 min read
Observer Weekly July 30, 2026 Jefferson County, WV news & events Sometimes it’s the little things that are the key to a bigger story. As a journalist, I’ve learned to look out for details — things that are new, or seem out of place. So it was with the small sign that popped up last week along a fence on Berkeley Station Road (image below). Not bright and flashy like a campaign sign, or clustered in ridiculous numbers like the new housing advertisements. Just some small black type on a plain...
about 2 months ago • 14 min read
Observer Weekly July 23, 2026 Jefferson County, WV news & events I was thinking that things might slow down a bit as we get further into the summer. But the fencing that went up around the Jefferson Medical Center hinted that things are about to get busy there — to the tune of $60 million to build and outfit an 80,000 square foot expansion. Combined with the $200 million expansion of the Berkeley Medical Center, WVU Medicine will be investing $260 million in its Eastern Panhandle facilities...
about 2 months ago • 13 min read
Observer Weekly July 16, 2026 Jefferson County, WV news & events The drones that will be produced at a new factory coming to Berkeley County in the next few months are miniscule compared to the C-17 Globemaster aircraft that the Air National Guard flies out of its base next to the Eastern WV Regional Airport in Martinsburg, but their economic potential for the region is significant (story below). Over in Charles Town this week, City leaders and community members were excited about the...
2 months ago • 11 min read