WEPM

Open House Teaches Residents About PATH

Hans Fogle — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:36:28 +0000

Local residents gathered at the Comfort Inn in Martinsburg earlier this week for an open house they hoped would shed some light on a proposed 765-Kv transmission line that will be coming through the Eastern panhandle. PATH, or the Potomac Appalachian Transmission Highline, is a nearly 250 mile high-voltage power line with an estimated cost of $1.8 billion. The joint venture by Allegheny Energy and American Electric Power is designed to avoid electrical overload in the Mid-Atlantic region, which could be overloaded as soon as 2012.One of the biggest concerns many residents had was how closely the lines might run to their property. Steve Klein, a local resident, came to the event hoping to see if a power line would be passing by his home. He said that the open house was very informative, and felt that the power lines will be beneficial to the local area.Representatives from the project were at the open house to assist people with viewing aerial photos and maps illustrating the proposed placement of the lines. Berkeley County Commission President Steve Teufel attended the meeting and said that given the scale of this project, he wants to make those maps and photos more accessible for area property owners who may not be able to make it out to these evening meetings. Teufel says he plans to get in touch with the County Planning Department’s GIS coordinator to get those maps downloaded onto the county commission website within the next week.
Similar meetings are scheduled for Jefferson and Morgan Counties, who may also be affected by the project. The first is at the Quality Inn Hotel and Conference Center in Harpers Ferry on August 11, and the other will be at the Homestead Restaurant in Berkeley Springs on August 14. Both meetings are scheduled to run from 5:00pm until 8:00pm.

Aviation Conference Wraps up with Tour of Airport

Hans Fogle — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 17:20:29 +0000

The West Virginian Aviation Conference wrapped up today with a tour of Eastern Regional Airport. Attendants got a chance to see some of the improvements being made to the facility that total more than $4 million. Richard Wachtel, chairman of both the West Virginia Aeronautics Commission and the Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport Authority in Martinsburg guided a tour through the new museum, restaurant and board room at the terminal-administration building. The building is designed to house commuters complete with baggage handling and ticketing areas should commercial flights ever come to the airport. Wachtel said the museum and Runway restaurant are already open to the public, and can even accommodate large groups for events such as field trips.The next big need for the airport is money to construct a new crosswind runway. The airport authority abandoned their original crosswind runway at the request of the military. The space was needed to expand the Air National Guard base so they could house C-5 aircraft.The design for the new runway is nearly complete, and the military has committed to helping with it construction. Wachtel said additional money, which totals less than $200,000, is still needed for sight preparation and culvert work. The money will be sought from the Federal Aviation Administration, which may or may not be cooperative because they disapproved of the airport authority’s agreement to abandon their original runway. If the FAA does not provide the money, a special appropriation fund will be sought from the Congressional Delegation in Washington.Aside from promoting general aviation, the airport wants to encourage economic development in the area. Wachtel said more than 100-acres of the airport’s 200-acre industrial park is immediately available for development, complete with utilities. He said that ideally the new industries moving in would be aviation oriented to continue use of the airport, but that any development will help create new jobs and boost the economy.

Manchin Speaks at State Aviation Conference

Hans Fogle — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:30:18 +0000

West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin stopped by the Holiday Inn in Martinsburg Monday to speak at the State Aviation Conference. Manchin, a pilot himself, challenged those in attendance to find ways the state can assist in bring new business to the state. Manchin said the state can really help in networking with corporations that have assets in aviation that they can bring to the state.

Manchin mentioned the continual improvements in the business landscape around the state and believes that conferences such as this can help draw new businesses here to create new jobs and help the over all economy. Manchin said that one of the biggest challenges he faces is a sense of entitlement in many West Virginians and that it is important for people and groups finding ways to help themselves.

The 2008 State Aviation Conference runs until August 5^th and will include discussions on issues facing aviation such as changes in corporate aviation tax and a tour of the improvements made to the Eastern Regional Airport.

Library Hosts Aquarium

Hans Fogle — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:55:37 +0000

The Martinsburg-Berkeley County Public Library brought the ocean to down town Martinsburg on Thursday with the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center’s Oceans in Motion brought marine life from the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean to interact with local children and adults alike.30-feet of aquarium space was displayed right outside of the library and a touch tank was placed inside so people could see the animals close up. Jane Levitan, the Youth Services Director at the library says the aquarium visit is part of the summer reading program called It’s Easy Being Green that has helped area children learn about the environment with visits from various animals including llamas and birds of prey. Levitan explains that the program is important because all of the planet’s environments are threatened and children are important for its preservation. She adds that allowing children to see and touch helps them realize what is in danger of being lost.Susie McGinley, the Youth Services Consultant at the West Virginia Library Commission, was on hand for the event. She says the Martinsburg-Berkeley County Library’s Youth program is one of the best in the state. She said her visit is not a check-up, but is a good opportunity to see how grant money from the state is being spent.Educator for the Virginia Aquarium Carri Paulenich exhibited the animals in the touch tank. She says Oceans in Motion travels several days a week across Virginia and that this is the first time they have been able to come to West Virginia. She explained that the animals are from areas people might travel so they can see the creatures that they may impact. Paulenich says it is fun to watch children see and handle marine life they may have only seen in a book or museum.

Later in the month, the first children’s department community reading program will be held. The program involves everyone reading and discussing the same book and end with a live demonstration to show participants what they have been reading about on August 11, 2008.

Educator for the Virginia Aquarium Carri Paulenich Inside the Aquarium

Sewer Board Speaks at County Commission Meeting

Hans Fogle — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:18:31 +0000

More than 20 people were in the County Commission Chambers for Thursday’s regular meeting as General Manager for the Berkeley County Public Service Sewer District Curtis Keller addressed recent complaints about the quality of work being done on a year-long sewer project. Larry Lam, a member of the Home Owners Association at the Spring Mills Farm Subdivision began lodging complaints almost a year ago, and asserted Thursday that neither the Sewer Board nor the County Commission are doing their jobs.Keller spoke before the county commission and answered for multiple issues including improper drainage, poorly resurfaced driveways and the removal of top soil from the 59-home community. Keller explained that the contractors, Diggers Inc. of Bridgeport and Ground Breakers Inc. of Clarksburg, are responsible for restoration after a project and that the sewer board is learning with each large project they undertake, how to better manage a job. Keller said they deal with agency contracts that have little room for variation, and that in the end, the low bid gets the job. Similar problems arose with this particular contractor during the second phase of the sewer project in Inwood, but Keller said they did return and complete the restoration issues.

He said future improvements may come down to providing more information up front. Establishing what the expectations are as far as a time frame goes for getting the work completed is something the board may try to do for future customers. Keller added that more information hasbeen given out to customers on this project than in the past.

Congressional Hearing on Housing Held in Martinsburg

Hans Fogle — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 16:59:37 +0000

The Berkeley County Commission Chambers housed a Congressional Field hearing Tuesday. Congresswoman Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV) and the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity heard testimony from national, state and local officials about the state of housing in West Virginia. Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), the chairman of the subcommittee, and Capito, the ranking member of the subcommittee, conducted the hearing.

Capito says all of the testimony given will be entered into the Congressional Record, and might be used in future legislative proposals. Waters opened the meeting by explaining some of the issues facing West Virginia in light of the recent slump in the housing market. Among them are increased housing costs that have put rentals further out of reach for most Wets Virginians, falling home prices that are causing people to pay more for their mortgages than their homes are actually worth and abandoned or foreclosed properties damaging neighborhoods.

The neighborhood Stabilization Act will allocate $4 billion for states to buy and rehabilitate deserted and foreclosed properties. Waters said that $23.1 million will be going to West Virginia.

Capito said the hearing has brought Congress to West Virginia and gave the chairman of the subcommittee see first hand how rural states are dealing with the mortgage crisis and affordable housing. She said that since the meeting was open to the public, it gave people in the Eastern Panhandle not only observe Congress and weigh in on the issue themselves.

Congresswoman Capito speaks about the hearing

West Virginia Immuniazation Network to Hold Meeting

Hans Fogle — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 19:38:13 +0000

The West Virginia Immunization Network will meet on July 29^th to raise awareness about the importance of the meningitis vaccine. Two nationally recognized immunization advocates will be there including Frankie Milley, founder of Meningitis Angels, who will discuss the impact of vaccine preventable diseases.

Shanen Wright Vice President for Advancement at the Center for Rural Health Development, the lead agency for the Immunization Network, says that the meningitis vaccine is a recommended vaccine but is not required by law. West Virginia’s requirements for vaccines are not as high as they should be, but are somewhat comparable with other states, according to Wright.

Wright says that before pushing for regulation they want to raise awareness about the issue. He said that many vaccines can be obtained for free via the county health department. Statistically the incidents of meningitis in West Virginia have gone down over the past decade, but Wright maintains many are still unaware of the dangers posed by the disease.

Vaccinations are available for Invasive Meningcoccal Disease and not viral meningitis.

Hedgesville’s Softball Title Defense Ends

Jay Young — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:27:48 +0000

The Hedgesville Senior League Softball All-Stars’ lost 3-1 to South Charleston Wednesday in the state championship game. Hedgesville’s defense failed them, committing four errors in the fifth , leading to 2 South Charleston runs. Elliott and Erica Miller had the only hits of the game for Hedgesville.

New Recycling Program Added in Berkeley County

Hans Fogle — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:35:36 +0000

Two Berkeley County recycling centers are keeping up with the trend with the addition of a compact fluorescent lamp (CFL’s) recycling program. Clint Hogbin, Chairman of the Berkeley County Solid Waste Authority says that as people become more aware of energy conservation, CFL’s are becoming more popular. CFL’s contain a small amount of mercury gas which is released when the glass is broken. Hogbin says it is dangerous to simply throw the bulbs away because the mercury will enter landfills.The Grapevine Road Recycling Center and the South Berkeley Recycling Center will be accepting unbroken CFL’s with a screw in base for recycling.The CFL recycling program is one of several new items being accepted at the two facilities. Hogbin says the Grapevine Road and South Berkeley facilities may be the two most heavily utilized recycling centers in the state. The sites are comprehensive as far as the list of accepted items for recycling. Hogbin reports that the centers had approximately 70,000 participants in 2007, and the numbers for the first half of 2008 shows that they are on track for a 20,000 participant increase.

South Berkeley’s Season Ends

Jay Young — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 02:22:28 +0000

South Berkeley’s 11-12 year All-Stars jumped out to a 2-0 lead but that’s all the runs they’d score before losing to Elkins 10-2 in the Little League State Tournament. Tuesday nights loss eliminated the defending champions.

WEPM would like to thank Manager Scott Jenkins, coaching staff, players, and South Berkeley Little League for their cooperation through out the tournament.