Area News
Rankin celebrates 30 years at Park N Dine
by Geoff Fox In 1991, Dana Rankin started working as a server at Park N Dine restaurant and on March 1, 2021, she celebrated her 30th anniversary at a job she loves. Rankin said she didn’t anticipate being at Park N Dine for 30 years. She had worked at a smaller restaurant before coming to…
Read MoreRoute 9 planning meeting to be held online Thursday
West Virginia highway officials will talk about planning information about Route 9 between Berkeley Springs and Martinsburg this Thursday, March 4 at 6 p.m. in an online meeting open to the public. The West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) will hold the virtual public meeting for the “WV 9 Planning and Environmental Linkages Study.” “The…
Read MoreThree low water bridges closed, Potomac still rising
Three low-water bridges in Morgan County have been closed today, Monday, March 1, due to high water. Morgan County Division of Highways (DOH) Supervisor Rodney Crowell said Monday morning that the bridges on Johnson Mill Road, Rockford Road, and on Kilgore Road at the Morgan County-Hampshire County line have been closed. The low water bridge…
Read MoreReady to put vaccines into arms
by Kate Shunney Morgan-Berkeley County Health Department staff are more than a year into unprecedented demands to act as the front line of public health here in the COVID-19 pandemic. Local staff has now put their primary focus on getting vaccines to county residents. Nursing director Angela Gray said her vision is very clear –…
Read MoreLocal facilities restore visitor access for nursing home residents under new guidelines
by Kate Shunney Family and friends of patients in the Berkeley Springs Center rehab and nursing home and those in War Memorial Hospital’s Long Term Care Unit can begin scheduling visits to those patients again under new national and state guidelines. Stonerise, which operates the Berkeley Springs Center, announced the change in visitor policy last…
Read MoreGovernor lifts social gathering & restaurant capacity limits as state COVID cases drop
by Kate Shunney As of Saturday, February 20, West Virginia’s restaurants saw their seating capacity triple under a new . Gov. Justice announced the change on Friday during his daily press conference relating to COVID-19 and other state matters. Under the new order, food establishments can now use 75% of their seating capacity to serve…
Read MoreCase of missing man still open after recent search
by Kate Shunney A late January foot search of an area of eastern Morgan County did not turn up evidence of the movements or whereabouts of a man reported missing from the area in April 2020, but police have said that case is still open and they continue to seek information about John Jesse Willey,…
Read MoreI-70 ramp effort widens, Hancock settles agreement with Park Service
by Geoff Fox A Hancock-led effort to add a new interchange on Interstate 70 leading to the Orchard Business Park is picking up momentum as six resolutions in six jurisdictions in three states have been passed in support of the project. Hancock Town Manager Joe Gilbert said he has received letters of support from elected…
Read MoreChoose your three best local pictures for the 2021 Photo Contest
Photographs are now being accepted for the 2021 Morgan County Photo Contest, sponsored by The Morgan Messenger. The deadline for entries is Friday, April 16. Anyone may submit up to THREE photos of Morgan County scenes and people, landscapes or local events. Winners in each category will receive a year’s subscription to The Morgan Messenger…
Read MoreNorth end of Berkeley Springs needs clean-up, has potential for growth, planners tell town
by TRISH RUDDER Results of an online survey about future uses and development in the Town of Bath’s northside/train depot area were presented to the Bath Town Council late last month, and planners say they show potential for growth. The findings of the survey were reported by Platinum Research through a remote presentation. The survey was…
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