Kate Evans

The Morgan County Commission will vote to approve a noise-nuisance ordinance this Friday at 10:30 a.m. The purpose of the ordinance is to stop excessive residential noise where such noise is deemed a public nuisance.

A public hearing was held on Friday, March 23 regarding two ordinances from neighboring counties that had been adapted for Morgan County. A Berkeley County ordinance was reviewed that addressed barking dogs as a public nuisance. A Jefferson County ordinance that tackled excessive residential noise as a public nuisance was also discussed.

The 2007 Health Olympics got underway on Sunday, April 1. The free two-month program is designed to help increase health and fitness and runs through May 31.

Health Olympics participants will choose a weight loss goal of up to 10 pounds. They will commit to fitness goals of exercising at least 30 minutes daily, cutting 200 calories from their diet and avoiding their worst health habit. Participants will keep track of their daily progress in meeting these goals over the months of April and May.

The Morgan County Rural Water Committee recommended a phased approach for developing public water supply systems in three priority regions in the county. A system of wells was determined to be the best option for supplying water in each region.

Engineers George Kansas and Aaron Keno of Gannett Fleming of Fairfax, Virginia presented the findings of the Morgan County Water Resources Study to the Morgan County Commissioners at their Friday, March 23 meeting.

The new $3.1 million, 17,980 square-foot Rankin Physical Therapy and Fitness Center opened on Monday, April 2. The facility is located in Berkeley Springs off U.S. Route 522 South on Fitness Lane just below the Best Western Inn.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Rankin Physical Therapy and Fitness Center is planned for Wednesday, April 11 at 2 p.m. Governor Joe Manchin is scheduled to attend. An open house is set for Saturday, April 14 from 12 to 3 p.m. Light refreshments will be served at both events.

After much agonizing and debate, the Morgan County Commissioners unanimously approved a 9% tax increase last Friday afternoon, March 23.

The hike only applies to the county government portion of the property tax bill, which is less than a quarter of the total bill. The increase will raise the overall bill by 2% or 3%.

Residents spoke out on proposed noise and nuisance ordinances at a March 23 public hearing before the Morgan County Commission.

A Jefferson County ordinance to abate excessive residential noise that is deemed a public nuisance and a Berkeley County ordinance that designates habitually howling and barking dogs as a public nuisance were to be considered separately for adaptation to Morgan County at the public hearing. The County Commissioners suggested combining the two ordinances into one ordinance.

At their March 23 meeting, the Morgan County Commission unanimously voted to adopt the revised edition of the Morgan County Compre-hensive Plan. The County Commission held a public

hearing on the County Comprehensive Plan on Tues-day, March 13

Two Morgan County policemen were dragged more than 25 feet when a Paw Paw man jumped into his vehicle during a police search last Wednesday and put the car into reverse.

Morgan County Sheriff's Deputy C. H. Cobern and Paw Paw Police Chief Brian Sites were dragged by the open door of the vehicle and sustained cuts, abrasions and bruises during the incident, according to Morgan County Chief Deputy Vince Shambaugh.

Once native to only the Great Plains of the western and mid-western United States, the number of coyotes in the eastern United States has been steadily increasing.

During the last 50 years, the coyote's domain has expanded eastward from the northwest and the southeast. Today coyotes are found in every state in the continental United States, according to a West Virginia Division of Natural Resources website article.

An elderly Berkeley Springs man and his wife were recent victims of what is known as the fake grandson scam. Someone claiming to be Milton (Stewart) Garber and Marion Garber's grandson called them on March 2 saying that he was in trouble in Canada and needed $3,000 to stay out of jail.

Milton Garber rushed to the bank to withdraw the needed cash and drove to the Wal-Mart in Hagerstown to wire the money. Garber didn't have the additional $60 needed to wire the $3,000 and had gone back out to his truck to return to the bank.