Data Center Promises, Town Plaza Plans, and Candidate Debate
Published about 3 hours ago • 15 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 details, leading to alarm among residents and businesses who rely on that section of King Street for access. The plan presented at this week’s Town Council meeting was a big improvement in terms of the detail provided and the Town seems to be listening to concerns as it builds a process for evaluating how it proceeds.
It’s almost Fair time and it’s election year, which means lots of candidates walking around the fairgrounds. I attended the first debate between candidates this week and expect that I’ll be seeing many more in the next few months.
Governor’s Data Center Announcement Light On Details
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey held a press conference on August 11 to announce a “unified plan for responsible data center development in West Virginia.” The Department of Commerce document referenced by the Governor during the event describes seven "principles" but does not include any specific plan or timetable for achieving those principles.
WV Governor Patrick Morrisey (at podium) flanked by Del. Wayne Clark (left) and State Senator Randy Smith (right). Image courtesy WV Governor’s Office.
Promises For Future Action
The most significant new information announced by the Governor on August 11 was the intent to create a “Data Center Advisory Council” that will make recommendations to the Department of Commerce regarding statewide standards for data center projects. Christopher Morris, the Director of the Data Economy Office, had previously discussed the State’s intent to establish this advisory council during a panel discussion co-hosted by the Stubblefield Institute and The Observer at Shepherd University on March 31, 2026.
The Governor’s announcement this week did not include any details on how the council members would be selected or when the council would begin its work.
Data Center Projects Announced So Far
The Data Economy Office in the Commerce Department is responsible for overseeing projects certified as “high impact data centers” (HIDCs) as defined in the HB 2014 legislation that passed with overwhelming margins in the WV House of Delegates and State Senate in the spring of 2025.
Three projects have been announced as HIDCs to date:
Mason County: Monarch Compute Campus
Developer: Nscale
Site: 2,250 acres near Point Pleasant
Power: 8 gigawatts from on-site microgrid (natural gas)
Water source: Ohio River
Investment: $20 billion (proposed)
Schedule: phase 1 operational by 2028; full operation by 2031
End users: Microsoft (1.35 gigawatts); others not yet announced
Site: 1,700 acres north of Buffalo (9 buildings + substation)
Power: not yet announced
Water source: not yet announced
Investment: $10 billion+ (estimate)
Schedule: not yet announced
End user: Google
More Eastern Panhandle Projects
In the Eastern Panhandle, there are two projects (in addition to the Bedington project) that appear to qualify as HIDCs but neither have been announced as certified by the Department of Commerce.
The QTS Kearneysville project, on 300 acres Kearneysville (110 acres in Berkeley County and 191 acres in Jefferson County) began the local permitting process with Berkeley County in April 2025, but there has been no activity logged for the project in the County’s online permit system since April 2026.
The Ryan Stuart project on 235 acres north of Summit Point project was disclosed in April 2026 and the company working on this project has indicated that it is still in the very early stages of designing the project.
A message from the Skinner Law Firm
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King Street Plaza Pilot Plans Underway
Shepherdstown will test the idea of having a pedestrian plaza on South King Street this fall under a pilot program presented to the Town Council at its August 12 meeting by the Town’s project manager Karl Musser.
Plaza configuration sketch included in August 12 meeting packet
The eight-week pilot, funded largely from a grant awarded to the Town by AARP, will run from Monday, September 7, through Saturday, October 31. Musser said the goals of the pilot are to test whether a plaza can improve pedestrian safety, create a flexible community gathering space, and support local businesses by making the town center more inviting.
With input from a local architecture firm, the Town has completed an initial design featuring movable flower boxes to define the space, tables with lighted umbrellas, cafe lights on both sides of the Market House, and a movable covered performance area behind the building. All furnishings except the cafe lights are designed to be reconfigured as needed.
The plaza's core footprint runs from German Street to about 20 feet behind the Market House, including both sides of the building (sketch above). On Sundays, the footprint will stop at the back of the Market House to preserve space for the Shepherdstown Farmers Market. For special events, it can expand up to Back Alley.
Responding to concerns that had been raised about the pilot’s potential to impact the Farmers Market, Mayor James Gatz sent a letter, read aloud at the meeting, stating the Town has "no intention of changing" the market and is designing the plaza so it "will not reduce the space available" on Sundays. Town staff will also be monitoring loading areas in and near the pilot area to ensure that deliveries are not disrupted.
The orange cones in this image are located to mark the approximate location of the performance space indicated in the sketch above. Photo graphics by Observer.
Experience Shepherdstown has agreed to coordinate a calendar of programming for the plaza during the pilot, including live music, games, and children's story times. The first event, live music provided by the band Shenandoah Dukes, will take place on Labor Day, September 7, from 5 to 7 pm. The Town has also hired a firm to study traffic and parking impacts throughout the pilot.
Once the pilot concludes, it will be up to the Town Council whether or not the concept of a pedestrian plaza will be developed further.
Editor's note: Harriet Pearson, the Town Recorder, is a co-owner of The Observer.
A message from the Jefferson County Assessor
Notice of Filings Due
(for Assessment Information as of July 1 2026)
Dates to File:
Jefferson County Dog Tags: File by July 1
Farm use Forms & Farm Statistics: File by September 1
Commercial Business Report (corporation & business forms): Due by September 1
Personal Property Report (online filing available): Due by December 1
Homestead Exemption: Apply by December 1
New office location: 393 North Lawrence St, Suite 100, Charles Town. 304-728-3224. Monday – Friday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.
Bill Ridenour and Jenny Thacker, the two candidates running for the WV House of Delegates in District 100, faced off in a debate on August 10 in Harpers Ferry.
Ridenour, the Republican candidate (above left), is in his second term as a Delegate from this district. Thacker, the Democratic candidate (above right), has not previously held public office.
The event was hosted by We The People of West Virginia, a political action committee established in 2009. The organization's website highlights the group’s focus on the defense of constitutional liberties. WTPWV president Jean Vezzosi moderated the debate, posing questions on several topics to each candidate. Here’s some of the highlights:
The Pros & Cons of HB 2014 / Data Centers
Ridenour explained his vote in support of the HB 2024 legislation by focusing on the benefits of data centers to the many West Virginia counties that have no other economic prospects. He suggested that brownfields are ideal locations for data centers and reiterated his position that data centers are not appropriate for Jefferson County. He emphasized the significant tax revenues from data centers that could transform the budgets in counties where they are located.
Thacker noted that there are two data center projects already proposed in Jefferson County and pointed out that “we can’t stop them” because of the HB 2014 legislation. She said that data center developers are not looking at southwestern West Virginia and expressed concerns about how the taxes are calculated and distributed to counties.
Vaccine Requirements in Public Schools
Ridenour stated that he is a proponent of vaccine freedom, personal responsibility, and parental choice.
Thacker said she does not support getting rid of the vaccine mandate. She framed her position as supporting “choice, unless it affects the health of others,” noting her experience in public health in Zaire and the utility of establishing “herd immunity” to protect children who are unable to be vaccinated for other medical reasons.
Transmission Lines
Ridenour and Thacker both said that they do not support the transmission line projects proposed for Jefferson County for the same reason — that they offer no benefits to County residents. Ridenour blamed the push for these transmission lines on Virginia’s “nitwittery” in blocking the construction of new energy generation facilities within its borders and suggested that West Virginia should pull out of the regional consortium (PJM Interconnection) that supervises the operation of the regional grid.
Second Amendment Rights
Thacker emphasised that West Virginia is a “gun state” and noted her own experience as a gun owner and hunter. She said there are issues of gun safety that should be addressed.
Ridenour framed the Second Amendment as protecting “arms for defense,” with hunting as an interesting adjunct. He tied the philosophical underpinning of the Second Amendment to concerns about oppressive governments and the historical context of British efforts to seize American’s arms prior to the Revolutionary War.
School Funding
Ridenour said he supports school choice and is a huge advocate for the HOPE scholarship program. He described the current public school funding formula administered by the State Board of Education as a “fiasco.”
Thacker said it is essential to allow home school choice, but also remarked that most parents do not have the option. She pointed out that 95 percent of students in West Virginia are enrolled in public schools. She suggested that HOPE should be means tested and the rules should require the money to remain in West Virginia.
The two candidates for District 100 Delegate do not have any future debates scheduled at this time. Bill Ridenour’s website is BillRidenour.com. Jenny Thacker’s website is JennyThackerDistrict100.info.
A message from Experience Shepherdstown
Shaping Downtown Together — Take the Survey!
Experience Shepherdstown, in partnership with the Corporation of Shepherdstown, has launched a retail market analysis to provide up-to-date insights and data that can help support a vibrant downtown business district for residents, visitors, and local businesses. Community input is an important part of the analysis. Residents and visitors are invited to share their perspectives through an online survey.
Kickball Challenge Collects School Supplies — Jefferson County and the City of Ranson elected officials and staff met on the kickball field for a second year in a row as part of a challenge to collect supplies for Jefferson County students in need. The game went a full 9 innings and ended in a 6-2 victory for Ranson. Jefferson County took the honors in the supply collection contest. The supplies will be distributed at the Jefferson County NAACP Youth Block Party at the Ranson Civic Center on Friday, August 14. The free block party event, which runs from 6:00 to 9:00 pm will feature a DJ, games, and refreshments. See event calendar below for details. >>>Game photos…
Transmission Line Comment (Aug 14 deadline) — The interactive map on the Valley North project site will be available until August 14 for public comment. You will need to register with an email address to activate the map tool. A Valley North spokesperson says that residents can also email comments to vlnorth@vltransmission.com, but comments received after August 14 may not be included in the second round of route proposals the company plans to present for public review this fall. >>>Interactive map & comment form…
Community Blood Drive (Aug 20) - Hospice of the Panhandle will host a community blood drive with the American Red Cross on Thursday, August 20. The event will run from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Hospice of the Panhandle Education Center (330 Hospice Lane, Kearneysville). According to the event announcement, the American Red Cross has declared a national shortage of blood after the national blood supply fell about 35 percent over the past month. You can schedule an appointment at RedCrossBlood.org (use the code Panhandlehospice).
Call for Artists (Aug 27 deadline) — The Berkeley Arts Council's 14th Annual Eastern West Virginia Juried Exhibition is open to all artists over the age of 18 residing in Berkeley, Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Jefferson, Mineral, Morgan and Pendleton counties. The juror for the exhibition is Sonya Evanisko, Professor of Art and Coordinator of the Painting & Drawing program in the Department of Contemporary Art & Theater at Shepherd University. The exhibition will be at the Berkeley Art Works gallery (116 North Queen Street, Martinsburg) from September 24 through November 15. >>>More information & online entry form…
Entrepreneurship Office Seeks Logo Ideas (Aug 31 deadline) — West Virginia’s Secretary of State Kris Warner is inviting the public to help design a logo for the newly-launched Office of Entrepreneurship. Lesli Taylor, who was appointed to run the office on July 1, says the logo should “reflect the spirit of entrepreneurship in West Virginia and the people who are helping build that future.” According to the contest announcement, individuals are encouraged to submit anything from verbal descriptions and design concepts to individual visual elements or fully developed logo designs; there are no size, shape, or format requirements. Submissions can be emailed to Taylor at ltaylor@wvsos.gov.
A message from the Shepherdstown Opera House
Comedy + Opera — A Lyric Take On Romance
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:
Friends of Shepherdstown Library Book Sale — Annual sale raises funds to help FOSL support the library. 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. Free admission. Info…
Clarke County Ruritan Fair — 71st annual fair takes place at 890 Main St, Berryville, VA. Now through Saturday, Aug. 15. $ Tickets & Info…
Hamlet — Presented by the Roving Peregrine Theatre. Black Box Arts Center, 113 South Princess St, Shepherdstown. Friday, Aug. 14–Sunday, Aug. 16, various times. $ Tickets & Info…
Youth Block Party — Youth-focused event with DJ, gaming truck, bounce house, games, face-painting, and refreshments, hosted by the Jefferson County NAACP. Ranson Civic Center, 432 West 2nd St, Ranson. Friday, Aug. 14, 6-9 pm. Free.
Metamorphosis and Transcendence Concert — An Appalachian Chamber Music Festival event. Presbyterian Church, 100 West Washington St, Shepherdstown. Friday, Aug. 14, 7 pm. $ Tickets & Info…
Movies in the Park: The Goonies — Gates open at 7 pm, with the movie beginning at dusk (approximately 8:15 pm). AMP at Sam Michaels Park, 235 Sam Michaels Ln. Friday, Aug. 14. Free. Info…
Scarborough Library Gala — Fundraising event for the Shepherd University library. Bavarian Inn, 164 Shepherd Grade Rd, Shepherdstown. Friday, Aug. 14, 7 pm. $ Tickets & Info…
American Conservation Film Festival Shorts — Screening of short films exploring the opportunities and challenges posed by emerging technologies such as AI, followed by discussion. Barns of Rose Hill, 95 Chalmers Ct, Berryville, VA. Friday, Aug. 14, 7 pm. $ Tickets & Info…
Bridge Gallery Annual Bazaar — Annual sale of donated art, antiques and other items benefiting the Animal Welfare Society of Jefferson County. Bridge Gallery, 8566 Shepherdstown Pike, Shepherdstown. Saturday, Aug. 15, 10 am-4 pm and Sunday, Aug. 15, 10 am-3 pm. Free.Info…
Nature Journaling — Poor House Farm Park, Poor House Road. Saturday, Aug. 15, 10 am. Free (donations welcome). Tickets & Info…
Coffee Concerts — An Appalachian Chamber Music Festival event. Shepherdstown Train Station, 111 Audry Egle Dr, Shepherdstown. Saturday, Aug. 15, 11 am. $ Tickets & Info…
African American Culture & Heritage Day — Parade at noon. Live music 2:30 - 8:00 pm. Family-friendly. Lawn chairs welcome. Food vendors. S. Lawrence Street in Charles Town. Saturday, Aug. 15, noon-8 pm. Free admission. Info…
Tomato Jam — Live music, craft vendors, food and beverage options, yoga, workshops, and activities for children. Sistermoon Farm, 6568 Flowing Springs Rd, Shenandoah Junction. Saturday, Aug. 15, 2:30-10 pm. $ Tickets & Info…
Chamber Festival Highlights — An Appalachian Chamber Music Festival event. Camp Hill-Wesley United Methodist Church, 601 Washington St, Harpers Ferry. Saturday, Aug. 15, 7 pm. $ Tickets & Info…
Fish Tales — An all-ages original stage production featuring stories, music, and a world of magic by young folk and old friends. Timber Frame Folly, Big Oak Drive. Saturday, Aug. 15, 7:30. $ Info…
Remembering the Niagara Movement: A Pilgrimage to John Brown's Fort — Guided walk with music, historic readings, and a memorial roll call of the members of the Niagara Movement. Murphy-Chambers Farm, Harpers Ferry. Sunday, Aug. 16, 8 am. Free. Info…
Chamber Festival Finale — An Appalachian Chamber Music Festival event. Zion Episcopal Church, 301 East Congress St, Charles Town. Sunday, Aug. 16, 3 pm. $ Tickets & Info…
Divina: A Fantasy Cabaret — An original musical comedy about a self-doubting woman who gets a boost from her opera idol Maria Callas. Written and performed by Regina Gibson, a New York-based actress and opera singer who appeared in this year’s Contemporary American Theater Festival. Shepherdstown Opera House, 131 West German St, Shepherdstown. Sunday, Aug. 16, 3 pm. $ Tickets & Info…
Jefferson County Fair — 73rd annual county fair starts this Sunday. Wednesday 11 am-3pm is free admission for senior citizens (55+). 1707 Old Leetown Pike, Kearneysville. Sunday, Aug. 16–Saturday, Aug. 22, various times. $ Tickets & Info…
Bird Walk — Registration required. Cool Spring Preserve, 1469 Lloyd Rd, Charles Town. Wednesday, Aug. 19, 7:30-10:30 am. $ Tickets & 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…
Brunswick Main Street Farmers Market — Farmers market held on the second and last Friday of the month. East Potomac St, Brunswick, MD. Friday, Aug. 14, 4-7 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…
Spotlight — African American Cultural & Heritage Festival
The annual Jefferson County African American Cultural & Heritage Festival will take place this weekend, August 14 and 15. This year’s festival honors the black churches of Jefferson County.
The festival kicks off on Friday night with a “Gospel Extravaganza” at Betty Roper Auditorium in Wright-Denny Intermediate School (209 West Congress St, Charles Town). The event will honor black educators in Jefferson County with eight choirs confirmed to perform. The program begins at 7:00 pm.
Saturday’s schedule begins at noon with a parade down West Washington Street in downtown Charles Town that features the Howard University Showtime Marching Band. Several blocks of George, Washington, Lawrence, and Congress Streets will be closed during the parade.
Following the parade, the festivities continue on the 300 block of South Lawrence Street from 2:00 to 9:00 pm. The lineup of activities includes pony rides, youth activities, vendors, food trucks and a community drum circle. The music lineup includes DJ Vince Hosby, Over the Top, Ahzay and the Squad, and Too Much Talent Band.
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.
