News Briefs

Jefferson County Sheriff Indicted
Jefferson County Sheriff Robert Shirley was indicted this past Tuesday by a federal grand jury sitting in Wheeling West Virginia.
The sheriff is charged with one count of deprivation of rights under the color of law arising from the Dec. 27, 2010. The alleged incident took place in Berkeley County with the alleged beating that resulted in bodily injury.
The indictment was announced by press release from the office of charged U.S. Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld II.
If convicted on both counts, Shirley faces up to 30 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.
In a published statement Kevin Miller, an attorney from Martinsburg and who will represent Shirley confirmed that the charges stem from the apprehension of bank robbery suspect Mark Daniel Haines in 2010 and said that his client "will be entering pleas of not guilty to both counts."
Mills said that the case was brought by the Civil Rights Division in Washington D.C.
The charges come out of a Bank robbery and the chase that ensued after. The chase ended in Berkley County.
In another published interview Jefferson County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Stephanie Grove who is also. The Jefferson County Commission's legal counsel said that the only way the lawsuit and indictment could affect Shirley is if he is convicted. The indictment will not affect Shirley’s position at this time. Grove also pointed out that Jefferson County would not be involved in funding Shirley's legal defense in the criminal case.
Jefferson County Public Hearing notice
The Jefferson County Commission has scheduled a public hearing on a Zoning Map Amendment (Rezoning) for property designated as Tax District: Harpers Ferry, Map: 9-2, Parcel: 58. This property is located on the south side of Route 340 (William L. Wilson Freeway) and to the east side of Route 27/2 (Alstadt’s Hill Road) and is a total of 8.98 acres. This property is currently zoned Residential Growth and a request has been made by the owner, Gene Capriotti to change the zoning to Residential/Light Industrial/Commercial. You may provide oral or written comments at the hearing, 7:00 p.m., Thursday, June 14, 2012, in the County Commission meeting room located in the Old Charles Town Library lower level at 200 East Washington Street, at the side entrance on Samuel Street. In addition, you may also provide written comments to info@jeffersoncountywv.org or mail to P.O. Box 250, Charles Town, WV 25414, or fax (304) 725-7916.
JCPRC Receives Funds
The Jefferson County Parks and Recreation Commission has been awarded a $99,000 grant from the National Park Service Land and Water Conservation Fund.
. The Jefferson County Youth Soccer League provided $99,000 in matching funds.
The entire Hite Road Park project being undertaken by the JCPRC and is expected to cost more than $5 million.
President Paul Marshall and Director Jennifer Myers said in a published interview that the $198,000 will go toward the completion of the park’s Phase I facilities.
Compiled and Written by James P. Whipple

Happing’s

(At right is the orgional poster for the Music Man at left is art work from the Avant Guardian Program)

“The Music Man” is coming to Jefferson High School
“The Music Man” is coming to the stage at the Jefferson High School this Friday June 8 with the curtain going up at 7:00 p.m. There are two shows on Saturday. The first show is a matinee which starts at 2 p.m. The second show will be at 7:00 p.m. The last show will be held on Sunday at 2 p.m, Tickets can be purchased in advance by email at "mailto:jeffersonhightheatre@gmail.com". Tickets will also be available at the door.
."The Music Man" is a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical written by Meredith Willson opened at the Majestic Theater on December 19, 1957. Willson grew up in a small town in Iowa. It is this town that he built his Musical Comedy around.
Avant Guardian Program

Intensive Studio Art Training & Mentoring for Teens
The Avant Guardian Program is for teens (Ages 14+) with an interest in pursuing future studies or careers in art. During this one-week training, participants will create a working sketchbook, an artist statement, at least 2 completed portfolio pieces, and find new excitement for their art! The training will feature guest speakers–professors from local colleges and universities and working artists, providing students insights on preparing for a career in art. Participants will also work side by side with CraftWorks Teaching Artists and train to become mentors and junior counselors at Camp Cool Spring. The week will close with an exhibit of their work.Scholarships are available. Please email "mailto:info@wvcraftworks.org?subject=Avant%20Guardian%20Program" for more information or follow the link to register online.Harpers Ferry Civil War Roundtable presents an evening of Dinner and Music
The Harpers ferry Civil War Round Table will meet for a dinner and a musical program.
The event will be held on Wednesday, June 13th, The dinner well be held at 7;00 p.m. followed by the program at 8:00 p.m. The dinner and program will be held at the Camp Hill Methodist Church, Harpers Ferry,
The music being presented is “The Vibrant Music of the 19th Century” The Tuckhoe Travelers bring to life for modern audiences the vibrant music of mid-nineteenth century America.
Other musician’s taking part are Dean Havron, five-string banjo, guitar and vocals, from Winchester, VA; Robert Schuweiler, guitar, mandolin, jawbone, and vocals, from Bunker Hill, WV; Cory Rosenberg, bones, banjo and vocals, Gettysburg, PA; and Kyle Contento, fiddle, Winchester, VA .
Reservations for the meal must be phoned in no later than Sunday, June 10th, to Kyle Wichtendahl at 301-639-8855 or you can email him at "mailto:kfwichtendahl@gmail.com"
Coal Country Tours has a few seats remaining for two tours in June.

Our inaugural Hatfield & McCoy tour leaves Baltimore June 13 returning on June 16 with a pickup in Charles Town, WV. This is a small tour and we have three seats still available. The price is $549 per person, double occupancy all inclusive except for dinners. Come join us as we explore this infamous feud and visit sites including the execution site of the McCoy boys, the reconstructed hog trial cabin, the Battle of Grapevine Creek, the Pikeville site of Ellison Mounts' hanging, the graves of Randall, Sally, and Roseanna McCoy, and Hatfield Cemetery where Devil Anse and Levicy are buried. Meet Hafield and McCoy descendants and enjoy a stage production of "The Hatfields & McCoys." (This tour was planned last year before the announcement that Kevin Costner was planning his mini-series for the History Channel.) June 26-27 overnight Coal Country Tour departs Charles Town, WV with a pickup in Winchester, VA. Tamarack Cultural Center, Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine, Whipple Company Store, lodging at Twin Falls Resort State Park. WWI Black Soldiers Memorial and tour of mansions and the town of Bramell, WV, the "town of millionaires." $295 per person, double occupancy all inclusive except breakfast. Three seats remaining. We will organize custom tours of any length for any sized group. Our specialty is the West Virginia mine wars, coal country, and the Hatfields & McCoys. Contact us at "mailto:coalcountrytours@gmail.com" or at 540-233-0543.

The Washington’s of Charles Town and Jefferson County

The Washington family has been an important influence on Charles Town and Jefferson County, West Virginia. Young George Washington first saw the Shenandoah Valley in the early 1750s while surveying for Lord Fairfax. Recognizing the value of the fertile ground, George began purchasing land in Jefferson County (then part of Western Virginia) and encouraged his elder brother, Lawrence, to do the same.
Together George and Lawrence owned several thousand acres of land along Bullskin Run. Upon Lawrence’s death, his lands here passed to younger brothers Samuel John Augustine, and Charles. Two of the brothers, Samuel and Charles, came to Jefferson County to make their homes – Samuel at Harewood and Charles at Happy Retreat.
In 1780, Charles Washington left his home in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and moved to the Lower Shenandoah Valley. Upon arrival in Charlestown, he began construction of his home, Happy Retreat located on a rise overlooking Evitts Marsh. He built and occupied the two side wings of the house.
In late 1786, Charles requested approval from the Virginia General Assembly to incorporate a town on 80 acres of his holdings and Charlestown, Virginia, (today it is Charles Town, West Virginia). In the first few days of 1787, the General Assembly granted its approval and the new town he named for himself was born. Through the influence of President Washington a federal armory and arsenal was established at nearby Harpers Ferry in 1797. That industry would prove vital to the economy of Jefferson County until it was destroyed at the start of the Civil War.
Charles Washington’s law office, located on Lawrence Street between Washington and Liberty Street was built on Lot 19 of the original town plat the Charles Washington laid out for the town. He named the main east/west street for his family, calling it Washington Street. He named the four main north/south streets after the four brothers -- George Street, Lawrence Street, Charles Street, and Samuel Street.
Charles designated the four corners of the intersection of Washington Street and George Street for community use in perpetuity. At those four corners today you will find the Jefferson County Courthouse, The U.S. Post Office, Charles Town City Hall and what was the Charles Washington Market House.
The Jefferson County Courthouse in Charles Town was the site in October 1859 of the treason trials of John Brown and his men, who had captured the federal arsenal in Harpers Ferry on the evening of October 16, 1859. Brown and six of his raiders were found guilty. They were hanged on a property just south of the courthouse in Charles Town.
During the Civil War, the courthouse was destroyed by cannon fire and the county seat was moved temporarily to Shepherdstown. After the war, when the courthouse was restored in 1872, the county seat was moved back to Charles Town.
In 1922, Charles Town was the site of a second treason trial as the trials of the coal miners from the coal miners’ was called the Battle of Blair Mountain were held in the Jefferson County Courthouse. The court had handed down 738 indictments. The Union leader Bill Blizzard was acquitted of treason. Others were found guilty but eventually all the sentences were commuted.
Today Charles Town is a Preserve America town, so designated as the first in West Virginia. The town also holds an annual Charles Town Heritage Day, the Washington Family Home Tour, and the African American Heritage Festival. The town has its own official ghost tour. Walking tours of the town and tours of the courthouse are held periodically throughout the year. The town hosts a large Christmas Parade and a Holiday Horse Parade both in December each year.
The Jefferson County Museum has an outstanding collection of documents and artifacts that include an original letter from George Washington, the Preston Chew battle flag, and the original wagon that carried John Brown to his hanging.
Today, The Friends of Happy Retreat, a not-for-profit organization is raising money to purchase Charles Washington’s home and use it as a center for ethics. The town is the home of American Public University, an on-line school with 80,000 students and serving many of our nation’s military personnel. Charles Town is also the home of Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races, the state’s largest and most successful gaming facility. In October each year the horse track is the site of the annual West Virginia Breeder’s Classic, the premiere horse race in West Virginia.
By Bob O’Connor

An Open Letter to the County Commisssion

I appreciate the opportunity to express my opinion in writing. I was unable to attend the public meeting last night. I would like this communication to be included in the record.My opinion is based on my direct experience on the Jefferson County Planning Commission.Proposed developments are reviewed and assessed by the Planning Department and the Planning Commission based on reports submitted by the developer. These reports might include, but are not limited to:• traffic impact studies• school & safety impact studies/statements• water & sewer impact statementsBy the time a development comes before the Planning Commission these reports might be five years old. I was not alone in thinking that this was not reasonable. Elements of our infrastructure can change significantly in one year, much less five.I had always thought the expiration of approvals was sensible, specifically due to the above.Now you are considering extending these even more? This could make developments approved based on data that is 15 years old. Think back on how much Jefferson County has changed in those 15 years. You have a Planning Department and Planning Commission for a reason. They have set in motion a very thoughtful process, part of which includes expiration of approvals. Follow the policies and procedures that have been approved and put in place.Ellen MayExecutive DirectorAl's Garden Center, ORArmstrong Garden Centers, CACalloway's Nursery, TXEnglish Gardens, MIHomestead Gardens, MDMcDonald Garden Centers, VAMahoney's Garden Centers, MAMartin Viette Nurseries, NYMolbak's, WAPetitti Garden Centers, OHPike Nurseries, GASouthern Homes & Gardens, AL

Art Work Wanted

Steam at Harper’s Ferry announces a call to all artists to submit work for
selection for its next exhibit. Gadgets, Guns & Gears in Harper’s Ferry,
West Virginia June 23,August 26, 2012. Artists may submit up to 3 art
pieces for selection. There will be a $25 administration fee if selected.
Artists must be from West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania or
the District of Columbia.
Requirements:
Works must be related to the theme
Artist must be over 18 years of age
Artist must reside in West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania
or the District of Columbia
$25 administration fee for up to 3 art pieces
Art must be available for sale
Art must be original
Accepted Artwork: Painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, wood or metal
work, photography, digital art and mixed media. Please contact if you are
unsure about whether your work would fall into one of these categories.
Work must be original and ready to be displayed, clearly labeled with the
artists name and contact information. No substitutions of accepted work.
Students must not present work for consideration if assisted in any way in
arrangement or execution.
We will only respond if we are interested. Please contact us to make sure
that your submission was received. However, you will not be told over the
telephone whether your work was selected.
Please submit the following for consideration:
Artist’s resume
Images in *.jpg or *.pdf format (no more than 3)
A description of the work submitted with title, size, medium and
creation date (preferably embedded in the file)
Steam at Harper’s Ferry is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am until
5 pm. If you would like to come by before you decide to participate,
please do so.
Dates and Deadlines
June 8, 2012, Submissions Close (Deadline)
June 13, 2012, Notification of Artists
June 23, 2012, Invitation Only Reception
June 23 to August 26, 2012, Exhibition
If you do submit a paper copy of your information through regular mail,
include a self-addressed-stamped-envelope (SASE). If you do not include an
SASE, we will assume you do not expect your material returned to you.
Do not send originals or irreplaceable artworks
:
"mailto:info@steamatharpersferry.com"
OR Steam at Harper’s Ferry P.O. Box 1292
Harper’s Ferry, WV 25425

Appalachians Call on Congress to Protect Their Health

(Washington, D.C.) — With twenty-one recent studies highlighting the extreme health impacts of mountaintop removal coal mining, citizens from Appalachia are stepping forward to ask Congress to protect their communities and to demand that regulatory agencies enforce the law. Over 150 citizens with The Alliance for Appalachia are converging on Capitol Hill this week to address the adverse impacts of mountaintop removal coal mining and to highlight Congressional and administrative agency inaction on an issue that studies suggest has caused cancer in 60,000 people. Recent peer-reviewed studies have shown widespread devastating health impacts; citizens near mountaintop removal are 50% more likely to die of cancer and 42% more likely to be born with birth defects compared with other people in Appalachia.“We have no choice,” said Jane Branham, who is traveling 8 hours to Washington with Virginia-based group Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards. “My health is failing, many of our members are elderly, and it is hard for us to come all this away. We should be home taking care of ourselves, but we have come to D.C. to fight for our survival.”In addition to meetings with government officials, the End Mountaintop Removal Week in Washington will feature a rally on Wed., June 6, at Upper Senate Park on Capitol Hill. Organizers anticipate that thousands of citizens across the U.S. will show their support via local events and online actions.“I want to make sure that Congress knows what’s going on in Appalachia. They don’t think it’s a problem, but I see first hand what it does to our children, especially our young children and our unborn children,” said Donna Branham of West Virginia, who recently joined other Appalachian women in shaving their heads in an act of mourning and protest against the destruction of the mountains. After years of lobbying for change at the state and local level, she is traveling to Washington, D.C. for the first time to share the impacts in her community. “If they could actually see these waters, see what’s been done to our homes, see the children that are sick and the people that are dying, then maybe they’d be willing to do something about it.”Passage of the Clean Water Protection Act is one of the group’s main goals. The bill, H.R. 1375, was introduced by Congressmen Frank Pallone of New Jersey and David Reichert of Washington state and currently has 122 co-sponsors. "This bill alleviates the wide array of human and environmental health issues directly correlated with mountaintop removal coal mining by restoring the Clean Water Act to its original intent," said Congressman Pallone. "By redefining fill material, we’ll be able to keep toxic mining waste out of our nation's streams."The Obama administration has taken a few small steps toward limiting the most extreme forms of mountaintop removal, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s recent appeal of a Federal District Court judge decision to allow a permit for a 2,278-acre mountaintop removal mine that would bury nearly seven miles of streams. Advocates, however, urge that this action isn’t enough. In addition to the Clean Water Protection Act, which would create permanent protections for streams, citizens are demanding that legal protections be enforced and that a moratorium on mountaintop removal and destructive coal technologies be put in place.Mountaintop removal coal mining relies on heavy explosives to blast off several hundred feet of mountain to expose coal seams, and has impacted over 500 mountains in West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee to date. According to the EPA, the practice has also buried or destroyed more than 2,000 miles of streams in those states.Appalachian coal-mining regions have traditionally had high rates of unemployment, even prior to the current economic downturn, and the Central Appalachian region contends with some of the highest poverty rates in the country. Ending mountaintop removal could create more jobs in coal in the short term, and open up the possibility for a better economic future. Last month coal made up only 34% of our nation’s energy use, and rising natural gas use has indicated that continued economic dependence on coal is increasingly risky.“I want West Virginia to be the mountain state - not the extraction state,” said tenth generation West Virginia native Dustin White. “I want to see an Appalachia filled with healthy vibrant communities where people are happy, not living in poverty. I don’t want ghost towns and potholes. Stopping mountaintop removal is the first step to creating a more economically diverse and sustainable Appalachia for our present and future generations.” Members of The Alliance for Appalachia include: Appalachian Voices, Appalshop, Coal River Mountain Watch, Heartwood, Keeper of the Mountains Foundation, Kentuckians For The Commonwealth, Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, Sierra Club Environmental Justice, Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards, SouthWings, SOCM (Statewide Organizing for Community eMpowerment), and West Virginia Highlands Conservancy.