Dear reader,
The last few weeks have been full of uncertainty for many of you in our eight-county distribution region when it comes to the COVID-19 coronavirus. We have been providing you with daily updates on how we've been covering the crisis here at The Inter-Mountain and the resources we have made available to you have hopefully kept you and your loved ones up-to-date and prepared in the coming weeks.... First of all, as you may or may not know, our office is currently not open to the public and a large portion of our staff is now working from home, with only essential employees at our main office in downtown Elkins. Our reporters will still be out and about covering events and bringing the latest and most important local news to you each day. Just as you are with your families, we are assessing each day on how to best keep our employees safe and healthy so that they can continue to bring you the latest local news on how COVID-19 is affecting and altering our way of life. Second, we've devoted a large portion of our reporting resources to coverage of the coronavirus and that will continue. Over the past two weeks, for example, we've produced dozens of stories on how the virus is impacting our region. We've looked into and reported on how funerals are being handled now that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are requiring Americans to limit gatherings to 10 or fewer people; we've talked with local nursing homes about how they are keeping their residents and staff safe, and also adjusting visitation policies so residents can stay in contact with their families. We've spoken with local restaurants on how they're adjusting to life with only delivery or to-go customers; and we've provided a daily list of cancellations and postponements of public events, blood drives and other gatherings so that you can remain informed. We have many other important local stories planned for the coming days, including looking at how local doctors and nurses are using telehealth techonology to provide services to their patients during the pandemic; how local stores which have been deemed essential businesses are changing their policies to safely serve the public; and how local hospitals are dealing with an increase in patients that may have come in contact with the coronavirus. To help you sort through all this information, we've also added a section on our website labeled "Following the Coronavirus," (www.theintermountain.com/news/coronavirus/), devoted solely to coverage of COVID-19. This section contains all of the latest local, state, national and international coverage of COVID-19 and how it is reshaping life across the globe. We're continually updating this section so you can remain informed on everything from business closings to new numbers of those testing positive for the virus. Last, we ask that you and your loved ones stay safe as we collectively go through this challenging time. We will do our part to keep you as up-to-date as possible with local news from a staff that you can trust. Local news matters, now more than ever, and we work each day, in all that we do, to remain your trusted local news source.
ELKINS — As has been the case with so many annual events during the past 11 months, the Martin Luther King celebration and march will not be offered in downtown Elkins this year due to COVID-19 concerns. However, organizers have put together an alternative form of celebration. “Every ...
CHARLESTON — The West Virginia Department of Education school board unanimously passed a motion Wednesday that would prevent county school systems from opting for remote learning after Jan. 19 and adopted in-person instructions for West Virginia schools. Virtual learning through the ...
ELKINS — Gov. Jim Justice’s recent decisions regarding the start of winter and spring sports has created a dilemma for high school athletic directors and coaches around the state. Unfortunately, the student-athletes could now face tough choices as well in the spring when their respective ...
CHARLESTON — Two major announcements came out of Gov. Jim Justice’s pandemic briefing Wednesday morning. The governor announced effective Wednesday the age for vaccinations will drop from 80 and older to 70 and older with the goal to get to 65 and older as soon as possible, maybe next ...
ELKINS — Residents lined up for COVID-19 vaccinations Wednesday at the Phil Gainer Community Center. A total of 200 vaccinations were done Wednesday, and another 300 are scheduled for today at the center. All appointments for today are now filled, but another vaccination event is ...
ELKINS — The Randolph-Elkins Health Department has received 150 more doses of COVID-19 vaccine and the Randolph County Senior Center is making appointments for senior citizens 80 years and older to be vaccinated on Thursday. The doses will be administered — by appointment only — by the ...
CHARLESTON — More than 64 percent of teachers are concerned about new plans to reopen schools in less than one week as COVID-19 cases grow. The West Virginia Education Association released the results of a survey of nearly 3,500 members Tuesday showing a majority have concerns with ...
ELKINS — Due to recent COVID-19 surges throughout the area, Elkins City Hall will close its doors to the public beginning today to ensure the safety of the public and city employees, who will continue their day-to-day operations. Mayor Van Broughton ordered the closing on Monday and said ...
ELKINS — Local officials discussed a change that makes all inmates at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail part of the county’s weekly coronavirus numbers Monday during Randolph County’s Office of Emergency Management COVID-19 update conference call. Bonnie Woodrum, the Randolph-Elkins ...
CHARLESTON —West Virginia’s efforts to vaccinate healthcare workers, teachers, essential workers and the elderly continue to lead the nation, but the state’s COVID-19 cases reached a grim milestone over the weekend. According to new data made available by the Department of Health and ...
ELKINS — The Randolph County Commission has once again decided to temporarily close the Randolph County Courthouse because of difficulties created by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases within the courthouse and also the amount of community spread ...
ELKINS — Davis Medical Center officials announced Friday that the hospital is at full capacity and now has “no ability to transfer patients to other facilities because there are no available beds” due to COVID-19 cases. “This situation will fluctuate daily but we are anticipating the ...
CHARLESTON — Despite being greeted at the state Capitol on Friday by more than 25 parents and students with signs asking to “let us play,” Gov. Jim Justice was adamant that winter sports will start no earlier than March 1. “They can yell and bark at the moon all they want, but I am ...
TENNERTON — The Upshur County Board of Education has called a special meeting for Wednesday, Jan. 13 at 6 p.m. at Buckhannon-Upshur High School for discussion and possible action on school re-entry for Jan. 19. The agenda was announced Thursday afternoon, following up on discussion from ...
BUCKHANNON — The Upshur-Buckhannon Health Department has received a shipment of between 150 and 180 vaccines for the 80 and over population in Upshur County as the number of active cases in the county hit a record-high. Vaccines are to begin being distributed today at 9 a.m., according to ...
CHARLESTON — Additional locations for COVID-19 vaccinations for West Virginians age 80 and older were announced Wednesday, with more details for vaccinating teachers and staff age 50 and older to be announced later today. Gov. Jim Justice along with state health and coronavirus response ...
CHARLESTON — Gov. Jim Justice had more to say Wednesday after being questioned earlier in the week about a New Year’s Eve party at the Justice-owned Greenbrier Resort that was lax on COVID-19 protocols. Speaking Wednesday during his coronavirus briefing at the State Capitol Building, ...
ELKINS — Doses of COVID-19 vaccine will be administered to Randolph County residents age 80 and above by appointment only today through Saturday at the Randolph County Senior Center. The Wednesday and Thursday vaccinations were announced last week. The Randolph-Elkins Health Department has ...
CHARLESTON — Despite still leading the nation in COVID-19 vaccinations, Gov. Jim Justice and officials in charge of vaccine distribution addressed concerns Monday over the state’s handling of vaccinations for seniors and teachers. Justice announced last Wednesday that residents aged 80 ...