Morgan County

More choices for higher learning are available at the Morgan County Center of Blue Ridge Community and Technical College, and more students are taking advantage of the easy commute. About 50 Morgan County residents have taken courses since the center opened for the fall semester last August, said Blue Ridge CTC President Peter Checkovich, and he hopes to see it grow to at least 100 students this year. The Morgan County Blue Ridge campus is in the Pines Opportunity Center, 109 War Memorial Drive, the site of the old War Memorial Hospital, on Fairfax Street in Berkeley Springs.  About 80 percent of the classes are of an “occupational nature,” Checkovich said, to help students receive training for jobs that are in demand, but the center also offers credited courses that are transferable toward a four-year baccalaureate degree.

Authorities are assessing the health of 29 animals seized last week from a southern Morgan County property near the Virginia line, Morgan County Animal Control Officer Jason Pearce said Thursday. The 21 dogs, two goats, three rats, a pot-bellied pig, cat and miniature horse were seized after authorities investigated a complaint about the welfare of the animals, Pearce said. No charges have been filed, Pearce said. The animals, whose conditions vary, are being kept at the county's facility along W.Va.

Assessor JEFFERSON COUNTY Republican Gary Dungan - 8,835 Democrat Angie Banks - 11,886 o Complete, unofficial returns MORGAN COUNTY Republican Ronnie McIntire - 3,741 Democrat John Allen Swaim - 3,343 o Complete, unofficial returns

A Morgan County man charged in the death of his pregnant girlfriend in December was arraigned Monday in Morgan County Magistrate Court, police said Tuesday. James T. Zell Jr., 23, of Tri Lake Park in southern Morgan County, was charged with first-degree murder and is being held without bond in Eastern Regional Jail Tuesday night, according to police and jail records. Sheriff's Chief Deputy Wade Shambaugh said Tuesday that Zell had fought extradition from Franklin County, Pa., where he was incarcerated in December after being arrested in Chambersburg, Pa., on a charge of driving under the influence.

Morgan County (W.Va.) public schools are operating on a two-hour delay today because of the extreme cold. Employees are to follow reporting code D.

BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. - "Finding Common Ground in Morgan County," a panel/community forum will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3, at Berkeley Springs High School. The forum will focus on the future of development in Morgan County. The discussion will focus on two questions: n What will Morgan County be like in the future? n Can we shape our shared future together? All members of the community are invited to this free event. Call 1-304-258-3350 or send e-mail to 2076bath@earthlink.

BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. - The West Virginia State Police will be conducting a sobriety checkpoint from 7 p.m. on Friday to 1 a.m., on Saturday along sections of U.S. 522 in Morgan County, 1st Sgt. E.D. Burnett announced. The checkpoint locations are in front of the State Police Berkeley Springs detachment near Best Western Drive, about 1.4 miles south of W.Va. 9 and at U.S. 522 intersections with Market and Liberty streets in front of Citizens National Bank just north of W.Va. 9.

BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. - The Morgan Arts Council marks March Youth Art Month with the 11th annual special gallery exhibit of the art of local youth. The gala opening event on Feb. 29 at the Ice House on Independence and Mercer streets features musical performances as well as hundreds of pieces of visual art. The Youth Art exhibit displays art produced by students in every Morgan County school. The exhibit and reception begin at 7 p.m. and the performance at 7:30. The show runs to March 30.

A cardinal perches on a branch along Sticky Kline Road in Morgan County, W.Va., Saturday afternoon.

Paul V. “Elmo” “P.J.” Avella III, 35, of Cherry Run, Morgan County, W.Va., died Monday, June 13, 2011, at  Inova Fairfax Hospital. The family will receive friends Thursday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at Brown Funeral Home in Martinsburg, W.Va. The service is Thursday at 1:30 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be in Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Morgan County.  

Morgan County (W.Va.) Schools officials will be forced to make budget cuts after taxpayers voted against renewing a levy that would have raised $5.86 million from July 1, 2014, to June 30, 2019, Morgan County Board of Education President David Ambrose said Tuesday.   With all 13 precincts reporting, the levy failed during a Saturday election by a vote of 1,672 to 1,323, or 56 percent opposed and 44 percent in favor, according to Morgan County election officials.   In order for the existing levy to be renewed, at least 50 percent of voters had to cast favorable ballots.

The Morgan County Board of Education will learn through a special election on May 11 whether it will continue to receive excess or special levy funding to help supplement the county schools. The special levy began 55 years ago and has been approved by voters continually since 1958. The levy funds are used for instructional materials; textbooks; curricular and extracurricular activities, programs and field trips; to provide technology hardware and software; for maintenance of facilities; for facility security and improvements; as a supplement for employee salaries and benefits; and to help financially support community organizations and agencies such as the Morgan County Public Library.

Morgan County Public Schools will be operating on two-hour delay Tuesday, school officials announced. Employees will follow reporting code D.

Ronald Lee Huffman, 64, of Romney, W.Va., died Monday, March 18, 2013, at Western Maryland Health Systems in Cumberland, Md. The family will receive friends Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Brown Funeral Home, Martinsburg, W.Va. The service will be Saturday at 10 a.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be at Spohrs Crossroads Cemetery, Morgan County, W.Va.

Mary J. Everhart, 57, of Hedgesville, W.Va., died Monday, March 18, 2013. The family will receive friends Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m. at Brown Funeral Home, Martinsburg, W.Va. The service will be Friday at 12:30 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be at Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Morgan County. W.Va.

Morgan Co. road to be closed for bridge replacement BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. - Virginia Line Road in Morgan County will be closed to through traffic beginning as early as March 25, the West Virginia Division of Highways announced Thursday. The closure, which is four miles north of Unger, W.Va., and three miles east of U.S. 522, is needed for the state to construct a new bridge over the Middle Fork of Sleepy Creek at Oakland, according to a news release. Motorists are advised to use Morton Grove Road, Sticky Kline Road or Winchester Grade Road to detour around this site.

For at least the fourth consecutive year, legislation to increase the number of West Virginia State Police troopers to a minimum of 800 statewide has been introduced in the state Legislature. State Sen. John R. Unger II, D-Berkeley/Jefferson, who again is the lead sponsor of the legislation this year, said Friday the agency is budgeted to have 698 troopers, but currently has 33 vacancies. “We are anticipating approximately 10 to 15 more retirements by the end of 2013,” Unger said.

Jewelry, coins, cash, electronics and guns have been stolen in a series of daytime burglaries that have occurred since December, according to the Washington County Sheriff's Office, which is investigating the burglaries with the Morgan County, W.Va., Sheriff's Department. Morgan County officials have obtained a warrant for a Hagerstown man in connection with a burglary that occurred in Morgan County on Jan. 18, according to a news release. The man is currently being held in the Washington County Detention Center on unrelated charges, the release said.

Virginia L. Seely, 90, of Berkeley Springs, W.Va., died Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2013. Born March 26, 1922, in Great Cacapon, W.Va., she was the daughter of the late Lace Smith "Pete" Holliday and Elmer Florence Dawson Holliday. She was the owner and operator of Jenny's Beauty Salon from 1959 to 1970. Tom and Virginia owned and operated the original Tom Seely Pine Furniture. Virginia and Tom together created the Tom & Virginia Seely Foundation to serve the children and their families of Morgan County.