West Virginia officials have placed restrictions on the disposal and transport of deer carcasses in two more counties in response to a disease.
The state Division of Natural Resources says in a news release the restrictions start July 1 in Berkeley and Mineral counties. The restrictions are already in Hampshire, Hardy and Morgan counties.
The restrictions are designed to combat the spread of chronic wasting disease, which is concentrated in brains and spinal cords of infected deer. There are exceptions, including finished taxidermy mounts and meat that has been boned out.
The statement says the disease was found in two road-kill deer in Berkeley County and one sick deer in Mineral County.
The disease has been detected in nearly 350 deer since 2005, nearly all of them in Hampshire County.
Governor Jim Justice declared a state of emergency for a handful of counties in the Eastern Panhandle this weekend due to flooding from heavy rainfall.
Credit The Morgan Messenger / Courtesy Photo
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Courtesy Photo
Bevans Industrial Lane in Paw Paw, Morgan County has collapsed. Photo taken June 3, 2018.
Berkeley, Jefferson, Morgan, Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Mineral, and Pendleton counties are under the state of emergency.
Severe storms hit parts of the region on Saturday and brought with it flash flooding and high waters in some areas.
Morgan and Hampshire Counties were hit the hardest, seeing 6 to 8 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service.
More than 30 roads were closed in Morgan County and several sections of road have been damaged or washed out.
Stefanie Allemong is the Acting Director of the Morgan County Emergency Management Agency. She says there were 14 swiftwater rescues on Sunday – either out of vehicles or from homes, but no injuries were reported.
Credit The Morgan Messenger / Courtesy Photo
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Courtesy Photo
Bridge and construction equipment underwater on River Road in northeastern Morgan County. Sleepy Creek is backed up where it runs into the Potomac River. Photo taken on June 4, 2018.
She says most of the water began to recede on Monday, and most roads in the county have reopened.
“So basically, we’re looking at mostly road damage and debris cleanup and some bridges and culvert damage,” she said.
The extent of damages or estimated cleanup costs is still being determined by emergency officials.
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice has declared a state of emergency in eight counties for flooding from heavy rains.
The governor’s office says in a news release that some emergency evacuations were underway Sunday following severe storms.
The declaration is for Berkeley, Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Jefferson, Mineral, Morgan and Pendleton counties. It allows the use of state assets and directs the West Virginia State Police and the Army National Guard to help hard-hit areas.
The National Weather Service says moderate flooding is forecast along the South Branch of the Potomac River, which is expected to crest nearly 5 feet above flood stage by Sunday night.
It says minor flooding is occurring near the Cacapon River, which is expected to crest about 5 feet above flood stage. Minor flooding also is forecast along the Potomac River at Paw Paw.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Final Update on Monday, May 21, 2018 at 3:17 p.m.
After several days of continuous rainfall, the Eastern Panhandle is no longer under a flood warning or flood watch by the National Weather Service.
Between 4 and 9.5 inches of rain fell on counties in the Eastern Panhandle last week. No substantial damages or injuries have been reported — though there were three vehicle rescues in Berkeley County.
As of 4:30 a.m. Monday, Jefferson and Berkeley County authorities said all rivers are now out of flood stage, and any water still on the roads is minor and will likely recede within the next few days.
The Opequon Creek and the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers in Berkeley and Jefferson counties had been at risk of flooding for four days in a row.
All roads in Berkeley and Jefferson are now open, and the Opequon Creek has receded off of a bridge in Martinsburg.
Emergency declarations were made in Berkeley and Jefferson counties after four days of storms last week.
Updated on Sunday, May 20, 2018 at 3:15 p.m.
Flood warnings continue along the Potomac River in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle after several days of heavy rains.
The National Weather Service says the river at Shepherdstown was more than 2 feet above flood stage Sunday morning and was expected to fall below flood stage by Monday morning.
Opequon Creek near Martinsburg was about a foot above flood stage Sunday morning and was expected to fall below flood stage by Sunday night.
Flooding caused several road closures in the area. Emergency declarations were made in Berkeley and Jefferson counties after four days of storms.
Updated on Saturday, May 19, 2018 at 1:34 p.m.
A flood watch for Berkeley, Jefferson, Morgan, Hampshire, and Hardy Counties remains in effect through 8:00 p.m. Saturday evening.
The National Weather Service reports a flood warning for the Opequon Creek near Berkeley and Jefferson Counties remains in effect through Sunday afternoon.
The creek still covers a bridge in Martinsburg and some nearby lowlands near the Van Metre Ford Pedestrian Bridge near Grapevine Road. The bridge remains closed.
Use caution when traveling in this area.
There is a flood warning still in place for areas of the Potomac and Shenandoah River through Monday morning.
Certain roads in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties remain closed due to flooding.
Updated on Friday, May 18, 2018 at 11:10 a.m.
A flood watch remains in effect through Saturday morning for parts of the Eastern Panhandle and Potomac Highlands, including Berkeley, Jefferson, Morgan, Hampshire, Hardy, Grant, Mineral, and Pendleton Counties.
The National Weather Service is reporting periods of rain will continue across the region through at least Friday night. Rain could be heavy at times and bring additional rainfall of 1 to 5 inches in some areas.
Jefferson County Homeland Security and Emergency Management noted on its Facebook page that the Opequon Creek near Martinsburg was in moderate flood stage Friday morning but is expected to crest again at nearly 14 feet by Saturday afternoon.
Credit Liz McCormick / West Virginia Public Broadcasting
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West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Due to week long bouts of rainfall, the Opequon Creek covers most of a bridge in Martinsburg near Grapevine Road and has flooded nearby fields. Photo taken on Thursday, May 17, 2018 at 7:21 p.m.
Several roads in the area remain closed and nearby lowlands are flooded.
The Potomac River in Shepherdstown and Harpers Ferry are in minor flood stage and expected to crest at nearly 20 feet by Sunday morning.
The Shenandoah River at Millville is expected to be in minor flood stage by Friday evening and is expected to crest at 12 feet early Sunday morning.
A flood warning is in effect for the Opequon Creek and the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers.
A State of Emergency Proclamation was signed by the Jefferson County Commission on Thursday evening.
Original Post:
Continuous rainfall has been affecting parts of the Eastern Panhandle since Monday. More rain is expected through the weekend, and a flood watch remains in effect for Berkeley, Jefferson, Morgan, Hardy, Hampshire, and Grant Counties.
Since Monday afternoon, 4 to 6 inches of rain has fallen in the Eastern Panhandle and nearby areas. The National Weather Service is calling for another 2 to 5 inches over the next 48 hours.
0517FloodingEPspot_WEB.mp3
Listen to the story from May 17, 2018 at 4:00 p.m.
A flood warningfor the Opequon Creek, which borders both Jefferson and Berkeley Counties, is in effect until further notice. The Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers are expected to be in flood stage by Friday evening.
Brandon Vallee is the Public Information Officer for Jefferson County Emergency Management. He’s encouraging residents to stay alert and be careful if traveling over the next few days.
“If you do see water on the roadways, we have had several reports of culverts washed out or damaged roads, so if you can’t see the bottom of the road, turn around, don’t drown. It’s not worth it,” he said.
Vallee and Berkeley County Emergency Manager Randy Lilly say there have been no evacuations so far in either Jefferson or Berkeley Counties, but several roads have been closed.
Residents are encouraged to make sure they have food and supplies to last for the next 48 to 72 hours.
Community members are rallying around a school in the Eastern Panhandle. They want to build an outdoor classroom so that kids can get into nature more readily. The goal is to improve academic achievement and provide more opportunities – especially for kids from low-income areas.
Let’s Build Some Raised Gardens
Fourth-graders at North Jefferson Elementary School in Jefferson County are spending a portion of their morning learning outside of the classroom…in the front lawn of their school.
“We are making a garden,” a handful of them said, “We have three raised beds. One’s a circle. One’s [an] Orca. And one’s a square.”
Back in January, on a rare, warm winter day, these kids planted their first seeds in three raised vegetable gardens.
They designed and built the gardens with the help from their teacher Jim Jenkins and a newly formed community group based out of Charles Town called the Kiwanis Club of Blue Ridge West Virginia.
Credit Liz McCormick / West Virginia Public Broadcasting
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West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Kiwanis Club of Blue Ridge West Virginia member Roger Ethier helps two students dig in the dirt.
“The Kiwanis came to us and asked if they could make some raised bed gardens,” Jenkins said, “and I thought it was a great idea; they wanted the kids to raise their own food.”
This local chapter of the Kiwanis Club is a member of the Kiwanis International group, which says its focus is to empower communities and improve the world by making a difference in the lives of children.
“The school population is some of the most underprivileged population of Jefferson County,” noted Kiwanis Club of Blue Ridge member Tom Cain, “and we felt it important to adopt the school to try to come in and provide mentorship for as many of the students as we could.”
Increasing Educational Opportunities
North Jefferson Elementary School is one of more than 340 Title I public schools in West Virginia.
That means, most of the students at North Jefferson come from low-income households, so the school gets federal financial assistance to help ensure its students meet state academic standards and get as many of the same opportunities as other schools.
The Kiwanis Club stepped in to help enrich educational opportunities at the school, but wants to go beyond three raised garden beds. They hope to secure private and state funding to revitalize the entire schoolyard behind the school, turning it into an outdoor classroom.
Jenkins, the students’ teacher, is excited for it.
“This area right here is going to be a monarch way station, and that’s going to be a wildflower meadow there, and we’re gonna have book stations, benches, geology,” he explained, “and then behind the school, if you have time, we’ll look at the spot I think the outdoor classroom’s gonna go.”
Credit Liz McCormick / West Virginia Public Broadcasting
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West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Students step back inside the classroom with their teacher Jim Jenkins to graph out the best locations in the soil to plant their seeds.
Behind the school, the hope is to create a variety of seating areas and outdoor learning stations. Jenkins hopes to teach not just science out here, but also writing, math and social studies.
“This is an ideal location for an outdoor classroom,” said Roger Ethier — also a member of the Kiwanis Club of Blue Ridge West Virginia. He’s been spearheading the outdoor classroom project at North Jefferson.
“When the students finish the outdoor classroom, they have this beautiful outdoor area where they can hop, skip, and jump, and just have a great time.”
Inspiration from 500 Miles Away
Ethier says this outdoor classroom project was inspired by a successful initiative in Boston, Massachusetts called the Boston Schoolyard Initiative.
The Boston project lasted almost 20 years, and by the time it ended in 2013, more than 80 schoolyards in Boston were revitalized from barren asphalt lots to centers for recreation, learning and community life, including 33 outdoor classrooms.
Kristin Metz was the Director of Education for the Boston Schoolyard Initiative for thirteen years. She and teachers involved in the Boston project participated in a study where they reported observing significant growth in students as outdoor classrooms were more utilized – from deeper interest and confidence in science coursework to a sense of equality among their peers.
“It leveled the playing field that students who had very different life experiences could come together and share what they were doing outside, and that gave them more respect for each other,” Metz said.
Metz says she thinks the same thing could happen for the students at North Jefferson – many of whom come from low-income homes.
According to a 2011 study done by the National Center for Education Statistics, students in the United States who come from low-income homes are five times more likely to drop out of high school than middle-income students. In West Virginia, one out of every 100 students dropped out of high school during the 2016-2017 school year, according to state sources.
“If students are outdoors, they have access to a wide range of experiences,” Metz noted, “You know, you can touch things that are very soft, or hard, or brittle, or bristly, or spikey, or soggy, and that’s just at the very, most basic level – you have this range of materials, and they’re available, they’re free, they’re just there, and so I think that it just very much enriches what students have access to.”
Credit Liz McCormick / West Virginia Public Broadcasting
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West Virginia Public Broadcasting
One of three raised garden beds at North Jefferson Elementary; the Orca garden.
What’s Next for North Jefferson Elementary?
The Kiwanis Club of Blue Ridge West Virginia has continued to develop school gardens at North Jefferson Elementary over the school year, but still doesn’t have the funds to build out the full outdoor classroom.
They hope to hear soon about a state grant that would allow them to make progress.
As the school year nears its close, the students at North Jefferson now have spinach and lettuce growing in their gardens, and they’ve recently planted strawberries.
A solar panel was also installed to provide rainwater irrigation to support two butterfly beds and the raised gardens.
State lawmakers from the Eastern Panhandle met Tuesday for the Berkeley County Chamber of Commerce’s annual Legislative Wrap-Up Breakfast in Martinsburg, where education and the teacher pay raise took center stage.
Every year after the regular state Legislative session ends, Eastern Panhandle lawmakers come together to recap the session for their constituents. This time, education issues and the five percent pay increase for teachers, service personnel and public employees stirred up most of the discussion.
Debate over pay increases sparked a nine-day work stoppage by teachers and other school workers until lawmakers agreed to a five percent raise near the end of the session.
But not all affected by that raise were satisfied.
Many still voiced concern over the health insurance program (PEIA) for state employees, while others argued five percent just wasn’t enough.
Senate Finance Chairman Craig Blair, of Berkeley County, said at Tuesday’s event that more work needs to be done regarding pay increases, but he argues, the state needs to do it within its means.
“We want to make it so that we grow the tax base in the state of West Virginia, and when we grow that tax base, then we don’t have pay issues,” he noted.
Blair said the way to boost pay raises and other financial issues in West Virginia is to attract more industry and get workforce participation up.
Other issues discussed by lawmakers at the Legislative Wrap-Up, ranged from solutions for combating the opioid epidemic, to the future of medical cannabis in West Virginia, to pride over passing the FY 2019 budget within the 60-day session.
Hundreds of West Virginians travel from the Eastern Panhandle to Maryland or Washington D.C. every weekday for work. These commuters catch the Maryland-based MARC train, or Maryland Area Regional Commuter.
But during this year’s West Virginia Legislative session, lawmakers debated the future of the MARC train in the state.
Maryland threatened to discontinue MARC service to West Virginia unless certain provisions were met.
Commuting on the MARC Train
It’s almost 7 o’clock in the morning. The MARC train approaches Harpers Ferry; its last West Virginia stop before making several stops in Maryland. The final destination of the morning is Union Station in Washington, D.C.
The closer we get to D.C., the fuller the train gets. From Martinsburg to Union Station – it’s a two-hour commute.
The passengers from West Virginia say the MARC train is one of the main reasons they decided to live or stay in West Virginia — like 27-year-old Matt Myers.
“When we were looking for places, we found one that was only a mile-in-a-half from the train station,” he said, “so it’s been helpful having the MARC extend out that far. It definitely helped inform my choice to live there.”
The train is comfortable, well-lit, clean and air-conditioned. There are big windows and power outlets to charge a phone or a laptop. There’s a bathroom in the first car, and I’m told there’s one car labeled the “Quiet Car,” where you aren’t supposed to talk.
Some passengers read, some work or chat, and others sleep.
Credit Liz McCormick / West Virginia Public Broadcasting
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West Virginia Public Broadcasting
The MARC train’s Brunswick Line parked at the Martinsburg Train Station.
Another Martinsburg resident, 29-year-old Amber Darlington, actually moved from Maryland to Martinsburg for the lower cost of living and access to the MARC train for her job.
“My partner and I really couldn’t afford to live in Germantown for what we wanted,” she said, “so we chose Martinsburg mainly because of the train, and we could actually afford to live there.”
Maryland Demands Funding from West Virginia
The MARC train serves 300 to 400 West Virginia residents just like Matt and Amber every weekday.
For more than 30 years, Maryland paid for the trains into West Virginia, while West Virginia paid for its three local stations — Martinsburg, Duffields and Harpers Ferry.
But after 2010, Maryland requested funding from West Virginia if it wanted to keep the MARC train in the Eastern Panhandle.
In 2013, the Commuter Rail Access Fund was created by the West Virginia Legislature for this purpose…but each budget year, for one reason or another, funding was never added.
So, Maryland began imposing a fare increase on tickets purchased in West Virginia, and over time, fewer and fewer stops were scheduled in-state.
Jefferson County Delegate Riley Moore says in 2018, Maryland insisted that West Virginia lawmakers take action to fill the line item in the budget.
“MARC says, okay, look, you all have never paid us for this, and here’s the bill, and the bill originally starts off from Maryland at $3.8 million,” Moore said.
Maryland told West Virginia lawmakers if they didn’t receive that $3.8 million, MARC service in West Virginia would end as early as July of this year.
During the session, lawmakers didn’t find $3.8 million, but they did secure $1.5 million for MARC services…which Maryland accepted, for now.
“In the intervening year,” Moore explained, “what we are going to do is bring all the stakeholders to the table, which would be the counties, the towns, the state, and the federal level to see where we can find funding from each source to have a permanent solution here for funding for the MARC train and also expand that service.”
Moore says he’s hopeful they can come to an agreement, and notes ticket prices will not increase on West Virginia riders this year.
Credit Liz McCormick / West Virginia Public Broadcasting
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West Virginia Public Broadcasting
“Martinsburg, WV” flashes on the destination sign inside the MARC train car. Martinsburg is the first stop for MARC’s Brunswick Line Eastbound and the last stop for MARC’s Brunswick Line Westbound.
Future of MARC in West Virginia
Meanwhile, commuters like Matt Myers and Amber Darlington are still concerned about losing the train.
What would they do without the service?
“[Make] the longer commute to Brunswick? But that [would be] about 45 minutes in the car, an hour-in-a-half on the train, and then 30 minutes on the bike,” Myers said, “so I’m not sure. We [might consider] moving; kind of hard to even think about really.”
“I moved to West Virginia because of the train, because of the MARC train,” Darlington explained, “and if they cut the service, I’d have to drive to work, which is 65 miles one way, both ways, five days a week, and that’s going to take such a toll on my car, and I hate driving.”
The Maryland Department of Transportation’s Public Affairs Director Erin Henson was not available for an interview but said in a statement to West Virginia Public Broadcasting on April 5, 2018, “a formal agreement has not yet been signed,” however, the Department is working with the West Virginia State Rail Authority to come up with a deal.
***Editor’s Note: The headline was tweaked on April 12, 2018 for clarification.
