Ryan Lynn Horton will be spending the rest of his life behind bars after being found guilty of murdering 60-year old Edward Gilhart of Hancock in 2016. Horton, 30, will have no possibility of parole, Franklin County District Attorney Matt Fogal said in an email to The Hancock News. Judge Jeremiah Zook also sentenced Horton […]
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Public sewer board agrees to seek engineering advice about extension down U.S. 522
by Kate Shunney In response to a request from a “working group” made up of select county and state elected officials, members of the Warm Springs Public Service District board have agreed to seek the advice of an engineer about extending sewer lines south along U.S. 522. Daryl Cowles, the county’s Economic Development Authority director […]
Messenger outdoor column places in national newspaper contest
A 2018 outdoor column by Morgan Messenger contributor Wade Shambaugh has placed second in the National Newspaper Association’s 2019 Better Newspaper Contest. Judging results were announced on Tuesday, June 11. Wade Shambaugh. Shambaugh’s outdoor column “Everyday Outdoors” about West Virginia’s buck season won second place for Best Sports Column for daily and weekly papers with […]
Town oks water towers to hold communications equipment
by Trish Rudder A request to place communications equipment on a water tower in Berkeley Springs was made by a local internet provider a few years ago. Before allowing the water towers to hold the provider’s equipment, the town-owned water department – Berkeley Springs Water Works (BSSW) – developed a policy setting up rules to […]
Public libraries launch summer reading programs for all ages
by Kate Evans Morgan County’s public libraries are both the home of a six-week summer reading program with the theme of “A Universe of Stories.” Readers from the youngest ages to the oldest can participate in tracking their reading, attending special library events and get in the running to win prizes. The program begins at […]
Barriers, bridges to recovery subject of opioid forum
by Kate Shunney Four speakers led attendees through the tangle of issues related to the local opioid crisis during a public forum last Saturday, June 15 at Berkeley Springs High School. Fewer than three dozen community members attended the session, which was sponsored by the Berkeley-Morgan County Board of Health and multiple community groups. Facilitator […]
Cycling race will affect county roadways this week
Washington County will be the site of the 2019 USA Cycling Amateur Road National Championships. The following roads and traffic patterns will be affected by the race: On Thursday, June 20, Maryland Route 67 will be closed to through traffic for cycling time trials. Local traffic can travel on the shoulders of road to the […]
Magistrate finds probable cause to move McCauley murder case to Grand Jury
by Kate Shunney Berkeley County Magistrate Richard Stephens on Wednesday found probable cause to shift a murder case against Andy J. McCauley into the Circuit Court. The case will likely be presented to the next Morgan County Grand Jury, which meets in September. Magistrate Stephens was appointed to preside over the June 12 preliminary hearing […]
Paw Paw voters pick Abe as new mayor
Voters in the Town of Paw Paw have selected a new mayor and council to take office on July 1. Paw Paw Town Hall Darlene Abe beat out appointed mayor Tina Meyers by a landslide in a three-way mayoral race, pulling in 82 votes over Meyers’ 12. A third candidate, William Hayes, brought in 11 […]
Bank robbery suspect in jail awaits preliminary hearing
City National Bank in Berkeley Springs following the June 4 robbery. by Trish Rudder The man who was arrested for allegedly robbing City National Bank in Berkeley Springs on Tuesday, June 4 is in Eastern Regional Jail awaiting a preliminary hearing. Steven L. Silverman photo from ERJ Steven L. […]
