Commission Questions FOIA, City Manager Resigns, New Teachers Arrive
Published about 6 hours ago • 13 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 are using the FOIA process for political ends. The Observer asked the County for facts and details so we could confirm these claims, but so far we’ve gotten no direct answers.
Our perspective is pretty simple. Share the information and let the people decide.
Jefferson County Commission Stonewalls On FOIA Requests?
The Jefferson County Commission claims it has a problem with FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) requests received over the past several years. The Observer reviewed the public records currently available and has not been able to corroborate these claims.
For the past two budget cycles, County Administrator, Edwina Benites-LM has requested an additional staff position dedicated to handling FOIA requests. Benites said that fulfilling and tracking these requests had become a burden for her office.
At the July 16 Commission meeting, Pasha Majdi, the Commission President, said that a politically-active resident had threatened to inundate the Commission with FOIA requests in response to how the Commission voted when it made two appointments to the Planning Commission earlier this year. Majdi led the Commission through a lengthy discussion and then into an executive session about asking for legislative action to restrict FOIA requests.
Asking For An Explanation
Earlier this year The Observer asked the County Administrator and several of the Commissioners for details about what requests were burdensome, to which we received only vague responses. Three weeks ago we requested a copy of the internal log the Commission staff uses to track FOIA requests. After several follow-up inquiries, the only thing we’ve heard from the County staff is that this request is being reviewed by the County Administrator and an outside attorney.
Secretary of State Tracks FOIA Compliance
The West Virginia Secretary of State also maintains a database of FOIA requests. All government agencies across the state (including counties and municipalities) are required to log the results of completed FOIA requests in a timely manner. The Observer used this database to analyze the FOIA requests received by the Jefferson County Commission. In 2024, the Commission reported that it received 47 FOIA requests. In 2025 it reported 29 requests and in the first five months of 2026 it reported 21 requests (chart above).
The information available from the Secretary of State database allows for a general categorization of the request and also shows how quickly a request was completed. In 2024, the average time for completion was 11 calendar days, in 2025 it was 12 days, and in 2026 it has been averaging 18 days. A few requests appear to be broad, but most appear to be requests for a specific document or specific correspondence to or from specific individuals. According to a spokesperson for the Secretary of State’s office, those specific requests should be easy to fulfill.
While state law requires an acknowledgement of a FOIA request within five days and a response in a reasonable amount of time, Jefferson County still has 11 requests open from 2024 and 9 open from 2025 and 7 for the first five months of 2026. From the description in the database, most of these requests do not appear to be overly difficult to fulfill. There are recurring topics, including the Middleway water bottling plant, that appear in several of these unfulfilled requests.
County Commissioners Jack Hefestay showed The Observer a document indicating that the County has received 13 FOIA requests in June/July from the individual who was the focus of Commissioner Majdi’s concerns. Because the County Commission staff has not provided any detail on these requests, The Observer cannot provide any analysis of how burdensome they are.
Most Dangerous Intersections: Harpers Ferry - WV Rt 340 at CW Shipley School Road
The intersection of WV Route 340 and Shipley School Road, near Harpers Ferry's busy school zone, is a hotspot for danger. Speeding cars and poor sightlines put families and drivers at risk every time they pass through. It's quickly becoming one of the area's most talked-about danger zones. Watch Skinner's Most Dangerous Intersections series now.
Skinner Law Firm 115 E Washington St., Charles Town WV 25414. 304.777.7777 SEVEN STATES. ONE FIRM. Andrew Skinner is admitted in VA,WV & IL and Stephen Skinner is admitted in WV, MD, DC & NY
Charles Town Works On Strategic Plan, Loses City Manager
The Charles Town City Council met for several hours on Saturday, August 2 in a workshop format to engage in a strategic planning exercise. Following the workshop, the Council convened for a special meeting which concluded with the announcement that City Manager Brent Manual had resigned.
Councilperson Elizabeth Ricketts led the strategic planning session. According to Ricketts, the exercise was designed to help inform how the City approaches its capital budgeting in the future. Ricketts said that an important part of the process is setting priorities that will allow the City to set timelines for completing difficult, but important projects. During the August 2 session, the Council members were asked to identify specific projects (such as curb repair, image above).
For the next session, which will take place sometime this fall, Ricketts assigned homework to each of the Council members, asking them to rate all of the projects identified during the first meeting using a framework known as the “Eisenhower Matrix of Urgency.” The matrix uses two separate scales (important/not important and urgent/can wait) that can be used to grade a disparate bundle of projects. The exercise is designed to help organizations set priorities that balance both short-term and long-term needs.
Ricketts said the strategic planning results will provide an essential input into the revision of the City’s Comprehensive plan. According to Assistant City Manager Alissa Meeks, the City will begin work on updating the Comprehensive Plan next year, with the goal of finishing it in 2028. Meeks says the City Council has not yet discussed the specifics of the update, but it will likely include community engagement throughout the process.
Meeks is currently serving as the City Manager on an interim basis. City Mayor Mike George says he expects the Council to discuss the process for recruiting a new City Manager at the next regular Council meeting.
A message from WVU Medicine
The Future is Here!
WVU Medicine is bringing advanced specialty care, new services, and major investments directly to the Eastern Panhandle region. Advancements are underway to ambulatory services, cancer care, and more at WVU Medicine Jefferson Medical Center as part of a major $260 million investment to expand healthcare access in the Eastern Panhandle. Learn more about our new services and providers at WVUMedicine.org/FutureisHere, or follow us on social media.
The Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce hosted a welcome breakfast for new teachers in the County’s public schools on Wednesday, August 5.
According to Samantha Viands, the Certification and Recruitment Coordinator for Jefferson County Schools, the event celebrated 77 staff members — mostly teachers who are just joining the organization for the 2026-2027 school year as well as some who started mid-year in 2025-2026.
Viands said that approximately half of the new staff were recruited locally, with roughly 25 percent of them newly certified teachers who had previously served as long-term substitute teachers. The Observer spoke with Viands at the check-in table of the event as she was juggling multiple tasks and tracking down on-boarding details for several of the new recruits, so she was providing these numbers on the fly.
Angela Wyatt, the Jefferson County Schools “Teacher of the Year” who teaches music at Driswood Elementary, spoke to the new recruits about her three years of experience starting as a substitute teacher after she earned her undergraduate and masters certifications from Shepherd University 15 years ago. She highlighted the breadth of experience she got as a substitute at the middle school and high school level before achieving her goal of a permanent role teaching elementary students.
Wyatt (speaking, image above) continued her remarks by highlighting a few tips (some of which she learned the hard way) and encouraging the teachers to be a part of the broader community, both inside and outside the school.
The breakfast kicked off a two day orientation program for the new teachers. The school year will begin on August 17, so watch out for school buses and students as they return.
A message from the Appalachian Chamber Music Festival
The Appalachian Chamber Music Festival returns August 5-16 for its 2026 Summer Festival with two weeks of world-class performances in the foothills of West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle. This season's theme, Metamorphosis, explores change through Strauss's Metamorphosen, the world premiere of Liliya Ugay's new bass quintet, the elegance of Bach's Goldberg Variations, and Gershwin's "I Got Rhythm."
Join us for a full festival including educational programming and a series of concerts across Jefferson County, West Virginia and beyond! Concerts include a wide variety of musical styles, from familiar favorites to contemporary works and world premiere performances.
Water Forum (Aug 9) — The Jefferson County Foundation will host a forum to update the community on the Sidewinder bottling plant legal case currently awaiting review by the WV Supreme Court. The Foundation representatives will also discuss their concerns about the local water utilities and groundwater in Jefferson County. The event at the White Church in Middleway (112 East Street) will begin at 7:00 pm.
Candidate Forum (Aug 10) — We the People of Jefferson County WV will host the two candidates for the 100th District of the WV House, Bill Ridenour and Jenny Thacker, for a debate on Monday, August 10 at the Clarion Inn near Harpers Ferry (4328 William L. Wilson Freeway). The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7:00 pm and the candidate debate will begin around 7:20.
Remembering Herb Snyder — The community mourns the August 3 passing of Herbert Spohn Snyder, a respected public servant and community leader. A graduate of Shepherd College, Herb Snyder founded and ran his own business in Jefferson County for nearly four decades. He served on the Jefferson County Commission from 1990–1996 and represented the Eastern Panhandle in the West Virginia Senate from 1997–2005 and 2009–2016. This week Snyder was remembered on social media by local and state leaders including Governor Morrissey and Senator Moore Capito, who called him “a true leader who dedicated his life to public service of West Virginia.” >>>Obituary notice…
A message from Panhandle Gun Safety
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, firearms are now the leading cause of death for U.S. children and adolescents. Summertime - and anytime - is a good time to make sure that any firearms where kids play are safely stored. Ideally, asking about gun storage should be as commonplace as asking about pool supervision. For more information, free gun locks or to get involved email panhandlegunsafety@gmail.com.
Valley Link Competes First Round Of Community Meetings
Valley Link has completed its first round of community meetings to collect comments on route options for the proposed 765 kilovolt Valley North transmission line that the company plans to build across West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland.
The meetings with the highest attendance were in Clarke, Frederick and Loudoun Counties in Virginia and Roane and Lewis Counties in West Virginia.
The Jefferson County attendance fell in the middle of the spectrum and the Berkeley County meeting was lightly attended.
Residents who wish to comment about a specific property or route option can view the proposed routes and provide comments online at VLtransmission.com. The company did not provided a specific deadline for comments, but representatives at the community meetings indicated that the company would be working on refining the proposed routes very quickly after the first round of meetings.
The company says it will conduct a second round of community meetings this fall. The potential route corridors presented during the first round of meetings were approximately 2,000 feet wide according to a company spokesperson. The potential routes that will be presented during the fall meetings will be narrowed down to more specific 200 foot wide paths.
Divina is a comedic one woman cabaret, written by and starring Regina Gibson, as Mary, a woman spiraling into an existential tailspin brought on by her sudden realization that she has put her entire life on hold for a guy. As questions like “Does he like me?” “Am I good enough?” or “Why even bother?” threaten to dissolve her down into an anxious puddle of low self worth, she fantasizes what her hero— Maria Callas would do. When Maria does appear we learn that sometimes you need to sing along to your own tune.
Highlights of upcoming events around Jefferson County:
Shepherdstown Live: First Friday — Live music by Undertone. This month’s event will be on King Street in front of Town Hall in downtown Shepherdstown. Lawn chairs welcome. Friday, Aug. 7, 5-7 pm. Free. Info…
Music in the Gap — Music by Rick Reaves Jazz Band. Old Stone School, 37098 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro. Friday, Aug. 7, 6 pm (music starts at 7 pm). Concert is free, reserved tables available for reservation ($). Info…
“I Got Rhythm” - The Music of Gershwin and Redman — An Appalachian Chamber Music Festival event. Curtis Freewill Baptist Church, 47 Storer College Place, Harpers Ferry. Friday, Aug. 7, 7 pm. Free. Advance reservations suggested due to limited space. Info…
Swift Night Out — Did you know that swifts cannot perch on branches? Learn about and observe swifts coming to roost for the night at the Swift Tower on the Shepherd University campus, 604 University Drive, Shepherdstown. Hosted by Potomac Valley Audubon Society. No registration needed. Friday, Aug. 7, 7-9 pm. Free. Info…
Hamlet — Presented by the Roving Peregrine Theatre. Black Box Arts Center, 113 South Princess St, Shepherdstown. Friday, Aug. 7–Sunday, Aug. 16, various times. $ Tickets & Info…
Color Me Berkeley 5K — Poor House Farm Park, 233 Almshouse Rd, Martinsburg. Saturday, Aug. 8, 8:30 am. $ Tickets & Info…
Town Run Cleanup — Meet behind the Shepherdstown Post Office at the Jefferson Security Bank parking lot on Washington Street in Shepherdstown. Organized by the Town Run Watershed group. Saturday, Aug. 8, 9 am-noon. Free. Info…
Bach for Brunch Concert — An Appalachian Chamber Music Festival event. CATF-Reformed Church, 304 East German St, Shepherdstown. Saturday, Aug. 8, 11 am. $ Tickets & Info…
UMC Peach Festival — Sandwiches, peach pie, peach ice cream and more for sale with space to eat inside. New Street United Methodist Church, 202 West New St, Shepherdstown. Saturday, Aug. 8, 11 am-3 pm. Info…
Farm Market Peach Festival — A little farther away, this daylong peach-themed event includes live music (1-4 pm), farm rides for kids and adults, and food and crafts for sale. 3035 Cedar Creek Grade, Winchester, VA. Saturday, Aug. 8, 9 am-5 pm. Free. Info…
Concert: Art & Music — An Appalachian Chamber Music Festival event with a pre-concert talk. Shepherdstown Opera House, 131 West German St, Shepherdstown. Saturday, Aug. 8, 7 pm. $ Tickets & Info…
Bach's Goldberg Variations Concert — An Appalachian Chamber Music Festival event. St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, 112 North King St, Shepherdstown. Sunday, Aug. 9, 1:30 pm. $ Tickets & Info…
Clarke County Ruritan Fair — 71st annual fair takes place at 890 Main St, Berryville, VA. Sunday, Aug. 9–Saturday, Aug. 15. $ (Sunday, Aug. 9 is free admission). Tickets & Info…
Story Artist: Denise Manning Keyes Page — Page tells the undertold stories of African Americans to enlighten, entertain, and build bridges of understanding. Presented by Speak Story Series. Byrd Auditorium at Shepherd University, 213 North King St, Shepherdstown. Tuesday, Aug. 11, 7:30 pm. $ Tickets & Info…
Porch Concert in Harpers Ferry — An Appalachian Chamber Music Festival event featuring local performers the Furnace Mountain band. Master Armorer’s House, 754 Shenandoah St, Harpers Ferry. Wednesday, Aug. 12, 11 am. Free. No tickets needed. Info…
Friends of Shepherdstown Library Book Sale — Annual sale raises funds to help FOSL support the library. Preview sale (admission $10) on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 5-7 pm. Regular sale (free admission): Thursday, Aug. 13 and Friday, Aug. 14, 10 am-6 pm; Saturday, Aug. 15, 10 am-3 pm. Shepherdstown Public Library, 145 Higbee Ln, Shepherdstown. Info…
Ongoing
St. Isidore Market — Weekly market featuring local produce, baked goods and artisan products. St. James Church, 49 Crosswinds Dr, Charles Town. Thursdays, year-round, 5-6:30 pm. Info…
Historic Shepherdstown Museum — The museum is open for its 2026 season for visitors to explore exhibits on local history and heritage. Historic Shepherdstown Museum, 129 East German St, Shepherdstown. Saturdays, 11 am-5 pm and Sundays, 1-4 pm. Admission by donation ($5 suggested). Info…
Martinsburg Farmers Market — Seasonal farmers market featuring local produce, meats, baked goods and crafts. 125 West King St, Martinsburg. Saturdays, April-October, 10 am-2 pm. Info…
Shepherdstown Farmers Market — Weekly farmers market featuring local produce, meats, baked goods and artisan products. Behind the Market House, 100 South King St, Shepherdstown. Sundays, April-December, 9 am-1 pm. Info…
Women's Ride on the C&O Canal — A group bicycle ride on the C&O Canal. Shepherdstown. Wednesday, Aug. 12, 5:30-7:30 pm. Free. Info…
Guy Brescia Solo Exhibition — Primarily pen and ink illustrations. Exhibit continues through Aug. 31. Firehouse Gallery, 108 North George St, Charles Town. Free. Info…
Team Jefferson County and Team Ranson are ready for their Kickball Showdown on August 12. Last year’s inaugural event was a 13-2 rout in favor of Ranson, but both teams showed great enthusiasm and were quick to suggest a rematch.
The game is part of a larger project, with both teams working with Pack The Bus to collect school supplies to be provided to Jefferson County Schools students in need. County residents can show support for each team by bringing school supplies to the game or dropping them off at one of the locations below:
County Clerk Office (393 North Lawrence St., Charles Town)
County Fleet and Facilities Building (128 Industrial Blvd., Kearneysville)
Ranson City Hall (312 South Mildred St., Ranson)
Ranson Civic Center (432 West 2nd Ave., Ranson)
The game will be at Sam Michaels Park on the baseball field. Gametime is 6:00 pm and the rain location is the Ranson Civic Center.
Every week, The Observer digs into the details that matter in Jefferson County. Our content is free for everyone to read, but producing well-researched local news isn’t free.
