Local Events

The Berkeley Springs-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce will host a special breakfast/meeting on Wednesday, November 7 at 7:30 a.m., The Country Inn, with guest speaker Dr. Russell Sobel, Professor of Economics from West Virginia University.

Dr. Sobel will present a summary of his book, "Unleashing Capitalism: Why Prosperity Stops at the West Virginia Border and How to Fix It." This book, a collection of articles by 25 authors, explains why West Virginia's economy has historically lagged behind other states, and contains suggestions for specific policy reforms that would promote prosperity and long-run economic growth in West Virginia.

Documentary film writer and musician, Dr. Murry Sidlin, opens a four lecture series at the Ice House in Berkeley Springs with "Verdi and the Jews of Terezin" on Sunday, November 11. Presented by the Morgan Arts Council (MAC), the free lecture begins at 3 pm.

"Each lecture demonstrates the extraordinary impact of the arts in everyone's life," said Pat Springer, series organizer, "and none more so than this first." Sidlin's documentary, "Defiant Requiem" premiered on PBS on Holocaust Remembrance Day, April 18, 2004.

Ye Towne of Bath, NSDAR local chapter, will meet Tuesday, November 6, in the fellowship hall of the First United Methodist Church at 7 p.m. The program will be the Indian School Camp film presented by Aileen Reeder. Native American Heritage Recognition Month was established by Congress in 1990 and is celebrated in November.

Goals for the Daughters of the American Revolution will be to work diligently to raise funds for American Indian scholarships, provide strong support to the Indian schools by promoting the Indian Youth of America Summer Camp program through donations, and recognize the spirit of the American Indians through chapter programs. Working together with the "Spirit of Hospitality," can "Open the Doors of Opportunity" for Native American Indians.

Morgan County Observatory will be having two public star parties this month, the first will be this Friday evening, November 2 beginning at 7:30 p.m. and the second on Friday, November 9 beginning at 8 p.m. There will be stargazing, refreshments, movies and hands on astronomy exhibits to entertain folks of all ages. Admission is free to all and donations are encouraged.

The Observatory Foundation booth at the Apple Butter Festival last month was a success. Volunteer face painters were Yvette Boles, Rachel Wurster, Kalee McClure, Maggie Schultz, Jessie Braun, Kylie Hauser, Loretta Brown and others.

Noted singer and virtuoso player of hammered and mountain dulcimers, Madeline MacNeil, will perform on Sunday, October 28 at 3 p.m. in the Presbyterian Church in Berkeley Springs during the Fifth Annual Celtic Heritage Celebration and Kirking o' the Tartan. MacNeil, no stranger to Berkeley Springs and fans here, has performed numerous holiday concerts at Coolfont Resort as part of the Coolfont Foundation concert series.

MacNeil, who lives near the Shenandoah River in northern Virginia, has sung and played the dulcimer for over 30 years in concert halls, churches, monasteries, universities and country stores throughout the United States. She has performed at the O'Carolan Festival in County Roscommon, Ireland; the Glasgow Festival of the Arts in Scotland; and for Nonsuch Dulcimer gathering in East Norton, Leicestershire, England.

Woodrow Union Christian Church, Paw Paw, will be hosting their Harvest Feast and Hymn Fest on Sunday evening November 4.

Everyone is welcome to a covered dish dinner beginning at 5 p.m. A musical program will follow beginning at 6:30.

Ray Chevalier will play the guitar and sing during morning worship services at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Berkeley Springs and Mt. Zion Episcopal Church, Hedgesville, Sunday, October 28. St. Mark's worship time is 9 a.m. and Mt Zion's is 10:45 a.m.

Chevalier plays the six and 12 string guitar, and writes many of his own works. He is an active parishioner at Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration, Blue Ridge Summit. Fr. Patrick Pierce is priest-in-charge at both St. Mark's and Mt. Zion, and previously served at the church in Blue Ridge Summit.

According to Morgan County Health Department officials, there have been no physician-reported cases of Methicillin-Resistant Staph. Aureus (MRSA) infections in Morgan County as of Monday.

That particular strain of staphylococcus is considered a "reportable" disease, meaning that any health professionals who encounter it should report cases to the appropriate public health officers.

The Cumberland Valley Volunteer Firemen's Association and Berkeley Springs Volunteer Fire Company will hold a Roadway Incident Scene Safety Course this Saturday, October 20 for Fire, EMS, Law Enforcement, Highway Workers, Towing Personnel and Recovery Personnel.

All are welcome.

The Social Security Representative will not be at the Senior Life Center in Berkeley Springs on Thursday, October 18 as previously scheduled.

The next scheduled visit for Social Security will be January 17, 2008 from 10 a.m. til 12 noon.