ELKINS — The federal government shutdown began at midnight Wednesday morning, and during the first day, some local federal services were unaffected, but other offices were closed, at least temporarily.

At the Jennings Randolph Federal Center in Elkins it was, for the most part, business as usual Wednesday despite the shutdown.

A representative for the Northern District of West Virginia stated that she did not believe that the shutdown would have any impact on the Federal Court’s operations in Elkins.

The representative also stated that Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh entered an order that “does declare what judicial employees are essential workers.” Workers deemed essential will continue to serve in their jobs during the government shutdown, despite not being paid.

The order put out by Kleeh is referred to as Case 1:25MC40 and can be viewed on the government’s Public Access To Court Electronic Records (PACER) website.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) office in the Federal Center remains open, and The Inter-Mountain observed members of the public still being able to walk in and receive service from SSA employees on Wednesday.

A representative with the SSA office told The Inter-Mountain that the SSA put out a statement on their government website and confirmed that there was no impact to the Elkins office.

“Social Security and SSI Payments will continue during the Government Shutdown,” the statement on the SSA.gov site states. “Visit my Social Security for Online Services.”

The U.S. Postal Service’s (USPS) mail delivery at the Federal Center is also still in full operation and will not be impacted by the shutdown. USPS is an independent entity funded through “the sale of its products and services, not by tax dollars,” the Associated Press reports.

Meanwhile, at the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development office in Elkins, located on Harrison Avenue, the front door was locked Wednesday, the parking lot was empty, and a sign on the door stated, “All Staff Members Are Out of the Office.”

The county provides coverage for Randolph, Tucker, Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Mineral and Pendleton counties.

The sign on the front door also read, “Listed below are contacts for USDA RD programs:Community Programs:

“Main Contact, Logan Mongold: 304-635-4346, or logan.mongold@usda.gov.

Secondary Contact, Stacy Karickhoff: 304-635-4342, or stacy.karickhoff@usda.gov.

“Single Family Housing:

Main Contact, Shelley Hickman: 681-533-4129, or shelly.hickman@usda.gov.

Secondary Contact, Penny Thaxton: 304-514-7173, or penny.thaxton@usda.gov.”