Wednesday, October 14, 2020 • VOLUME 129 • NUMBER 42 ONE SECTION • 14 PAGES • $1.25 Residents Uncooperative With COVID-19 Construction Work to Begin Contact Tracing as County Nears 100 Cases On Main St., By Jean A. Flanagan been and who they’ve been in contact with.” “To date, there are 95 cases and one death. people in Hardy County are not taking the Moorefield Examiner Hardy County Health Department Ad- There are nine active cases, but nobody in pandemic seriously. Winchester ministrator William Ours updated the Har- the hospital.” “People in Mathias won’t quarantine,” he “The whole Moorefield High School dy County Commission on the status of the The 95 cases are a cumulative number, said. “I can understand adults that say they Ave. in situation could have been avoided if some- county’s COVID-19 cases at the Commis- reflecting the total number of positive test can’t afford to miss work, but they won’t one had told us the truth. Contact tracing sion meeting held Tuesday, Oct. 6. results since March. tell the truth about where they’ve been and Moorefield is hard. People won’t tell us where they’ve “COVID activity has picked up,” he said. Ours repeated his primary concern, that Continued on page 8 The West Virginia Division of Highways advises motorists of upcoming delays on US 220 in Moorefield, beginning as early as School System and Monday, October 19. Work will begin at the rail- Health Department road crossing on US 220 South, near Southern States and Food Lion Grocery, and will end at the Work Together to junction of US 220 and old West Virginia 55, at the traffic light on Main Street and Winchester Av- Combat COVID Spread enue. Delays can be expected from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. By Jean A. Flanagan •The school goes on remote Motorists should expect signifi- Moorefield Examiner learning for 14 days because of cant delays. Flaggers and a pilot an outbreak. truck will be used to control the When a suspected case of An outbreak is defined as flow of traffic through the work COVID-19 is reported to Har- two or more people from sepa- zone and to ensure the safety of dy County Schools, the school rate households with confirmed the work personnel. system works in conjunction COVID-19 in a single class- Continued on page 6 with the Hardy County Health room or core group. Department to determine the Initially, Moorefield High outcome. This according to School had two confirmed posi- the latest information from the tive cases of COVID-19 on the County Planning Commission Moorefield West Virginia Department of football team and the school Health and Human Resources. immediately went to remote Trick-or-Treating Hardy County Schools Super- learning. Later, another two Continues Probing How Best intendent Sheena VanMeter cases were discovered and MHS Approved For provided the Board of Educa- continued on remote learning tion with information regarding for a total of two weeks. Halloween Night responding to suspected CO- “Officially, all individuals re- To Regulate Mega-Projects By Hannah Heishman VID-19 cases at their meeting lated to the Moorefield High By Lon Anderson The October 6 meeting was held that we are still a long ways off Moorefield Examiner held Monday, Oct. 5. School football team are off Moorefield Examiner indoors for the first time since last from that point” of needing an at- When the school system is quarantine as of tomorrow, Trick-or-treating will be Sat- notified of a suspected case, Oct. 6,” VanMeter said. “How- spring, and about a dozen folks— torney and noted that the Commis- At its October meeting, the they immediately contact the ever, the state requires the poultry growers, Pilgrims’ staff, sion does not yet even know the urday, Oct. 31, from 5 to 7 p.m. Hardy County Planning Commis- health department, who de- school be closed for 14 days.” and residents from Old Fields right questions to ask. “We expect Please turn on your porch light if sion’s probing for the best way to termines if the case is positive. The board commended the were on hand to monitor and par- to have counsel, but we are so ear- you wish to participate. regulate future agricultural “mega From then on, it’s a joint effort. teachers and staff at all Hardy ticipate. ly, we’re not ready,” he said. The Moorefield Town Coun- The health department and County Schools for the work projects” proceeded full steam Different this month was the at- “I do agree with Lee – at this cil unanimously approved mov- the school system work togeth- they are doing during the pan- ahead. tendance of Pilgrim’s land use at- time we don’t have the questions ing forward with the annual tradi- er on contact tracing and both demic. The Commission is under in- torney, Mark Sadd from Charles- focused yet,” said Commission tion at their meeting on Oct. 6. In determine the next course of “Everyone is pitching in,” struction from the County Com- ton, with the firm Lewis Glasser Vice President Greg Greenwalt. Mayor Gary Stalnaker’s absence, action. said Board Member Janet mission to take steps to ensure that Casey and Rollins. Sadd told the Lehman suggested that a good council member Scott Fawley con- According to DHHR, there Rose. “They are all doing more any proposed future developments Commission that his goal was “to starting place for the evening’s ducted the meeting. are four courses of action. than what they were hired to like the $10 million, 20-poultry try to help shape discussions and to meeting would be answering the Trick-or-treating hours are ear- •The school goes on remote do.” house “mega-project” now under get a good and balanced ordinance question: at what point would you lier than normal because it’s on a learning while the contact trac- VanMeter agreed, saying construction near Old Fields will that’s good for all.” He also sug- trigger the hearing process and weekend night. ing is completed and the build- the communication between require hearings and notification gested that the Commission con- what would the criteria be to do Residents are encouraged to ing cleaned. teachers and administration is to local residents prior to construc- sider engaging its own attorney in that? The Commission wants to let maintain social distancing, and to •Specific individuals are re- good and the administration is tion. The current county zoning the discussions. smaller or more “normal size” ap- wear protective masks instead of quired to quarantine. working hard to accommodate ordinance does not require any Commission President Lee plications for construction of poul- costume masks. CDC-approved •A classroom is quarantined. Continued on page 5 notifications or hearings. Lehman responded, “I just feel Continued on page 7 Continued on page 8 Dawson and Sanders Vie for Hardy County Sheriff Position Drug Court. As the programs now and work and reintegrate back into stand, they’re on a positive road to society. recovery.” “This must be coupled with a focus on youth - teaching, training Sanders: “People have to under- and mentoring our children. stand the drug user has to want to Often drug abuse starts in the stop. Once that happens, there are teenage years. Putting a law en- Steve Dawson graduated from the Wardensville Police Depart- more pros than cons to programs forcement officer in our schools in Buckhannon/Upshur County High ment. She joined the Hardy Coun- like Drug Court. Prevention Resource Programs is School in 1977. He spent the next ty Sheriff’s Department in 2013. “They free up jail space for not only beneficial to our children, 10 years on an oil-drilling rig. In From 2013 - 2019, Sanders owned more violent criminals. They save but also to the law enforcement of- 1987 he went to work for the Buck- a restaurant outside Wardensville, taxpayer dollars. People don’t un- ficers dealing with the drug crisis. hannon Police Department. While which she sold before announcing derstand, it costs a lot of money to “I also believe we have to be there, he graduated from the West her candidacy for Sheriff. She also incarcerate someone. It also offers tougher on the street, proactive- Virginia State Police Training coaches ladies basketball at East a chance to be in a program longer ly working to prevent drug deals Academy. In 1988, he went to work Hardy High School. than jail. They offer support to find from happening. We have to be for the West Virginia State Police jobs, a place to live and to become Steve Dawson visible in every corner of the coun- Alisha Sanders and retired in 2011 as a Captain 1. What is your opinion about productive citizens. ty, so people see our cruisers, and and Troop Commander at the El- jail diversionary programs such as “One of the cons is that, as of- 2. What is the most challeng- see us and that will be a deterrent. Hardy County. There are few fami- kins Detachment. Probation and Drug Court? ficers, we deal with people who get ing issue facing law enforcement “We also need to partner with lies in Hardy County that have not In 2012, Dawson went to work Suboxone or methadone as treat- in Hardy County and how will you the federal High Intensity Drug been impacted either directly or for the West Virginia Division of Dawson: “These are good pro- ment, then sell it or abuse it. address it? Traffic Area program, which plac- indirectly by the illegal drug trade.