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Coronavirus

Justice eases restrictions, lifts limits

CHARLESTON — Gov. Jim Justice announced a new round of easing Friday for COVID-19 restrictions on residents and businesses as coronavirus statistics continue to trend in better directions. Speaking during his Friday morning COVID-19 briefing from the State Capitol Building, Justice said restaurants and bars can move to 100 percent of their seating capacity, with no standing room allowed. Justice also said the capacity limits for businesses and grocery stores would be lifted, as well as gyms, fitness centers, and museums “We do not see in our businesses and retail stores a ...

Upshur BOE prepares for school return

BUCKHANNON — The Upshur County Board of Education voted in a special meeting Monday to finalize school re-entry plans, after the state Department of Education denied the school system’s waiver request last week. Upshur County Schools submitted a waiver to the state on Feb. 24 asking to have four days of in-person learning per week in the county’s schools and a 2 p.m. dismissal, as opposed to the five-days of in-person learning recommended Tuesday by the state Board of Education. The waiver request was denied, so the Upshur BOE gathered in Monday’s special meeting “as ...

Beauty shop closes after 20 years

ELKINS — A beauty salon that had been in business for 20 years closed recently, in part due to the financial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I really don’t think that a lot of people other than our regular customers know that we are here,” chuckled owner Lisa Runner, of ...

COVID-19 numbers lowest since October

ELKINS — The number of active COVID-19 cases in Randolph County has reached its lowest total since the fall of last year. Health officials reported during the county’s weekly COVID-19 update conference call Monday that there were currently 33 active cases. That is seven less than last week’s total and the smallest number the county has seen since Oct. 6, when it was at 35. “It’s great to see the numbers continue to drop,” said Bonnie Woodrum, the Randolph-Elkins Health Department’s infectious disease specialist. “It really gives us a little breathing room, because ...

West Virginia to receive 92K vaccine doses per week

ELKINS — West Virginia will receive more than 92,000 antivirus doses a week with the approval of the third COVID-19 vaccine, the governor said Monday during his pandemic briefing. “We’re ready for them,” Gov. Jim Justice said. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Saturday issued the emergency use authorization for the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, the third vaccine the agency has authorized for emergency use. The first two were the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which started arriving in West Virginia in December. The Johnson & Johnson version is a single-shot ...

COVID-19 cases continue to drop

ELKINS — With this week’s warmer temperatures, area counties have been able to take a breath of fresh air as the number of active COVID-19 cases continue to drop. Like most of its bordering counties, Randolph has seen a massive decline the past two weeks. As of Tuesday, the county’s number of total active cases was at 40, down from 57 the week before. Just two months ago the county hit a record-high in active cases with 234 on Jan. 5. This week’s number is the lowest total since 42 were reported on Nov. 9. Upshur County has also seen an impressive turnaround in the past nine ...