In Around West Virginia today: farmers and agricultural researchers are waiting to see what effect, if any, the warm weather has had on Eastern Panhandle crops; a minivan full of passengers gets stranded in Jackson County; lawyers continue to review the case of Joseph A. Buffey; and more.
n A minivan full of people looking for a detour to avoid an interstate shutdown Monday night found themselves stuck on a country road in Jackson County for nearly eight hours. That night, a portion of I-77 heading north and south was shut down in near Ravenswood when icy conditions caused accidents, so the driver of a minivan headed to Cleveland with six adult passengers decided to take a detour, WSAZ reports. The group followed directions provided by an Internet-based mapping service, which led them to a remote road in Jackson County not meant for passenger vehicles where not even a wrecker could locate them. After the interstate accidents were cleared, the group was found by emergency crews.
n The effects of the initial warm winter weather West Virginia experienced remain to be seen in the Eastern Panhandle, a region known for its agriculture. Some fruit trees might set buds that could then be destroyed by a cold patch, Michael Harman, West Virginia University extension agent for agriculture and natural resources in Jefferson County, told The Journal. Mark Orr, orchard manager for Orr's Farm Market, said in 40 years, the farm has only lost its entire peach crop a couple times. "When the weather is too warm and then all of a sudden drops to below zero temperatures, fruits like peaches, plums, cherries and other stone fruits are fragile," Orr said. "We're concerned, but we don't know if it's necessarily enough to kill them."
n The Monongalia County Board of Education met last night to discuss ways to get the public to renew the excess levy in an the upcoming election. Members also discussed the current levy, which is for about $21,482,677, the Dominion Post reports.
"If everyone is happy with their school, the chances of the levy passing is pretty good," board member Nancy Walker said. "If there is a disaster that happens that we are not in any way directed or could have forseen, then people are unhappy and that sometimes translates to a more difficult time for the levy." The current levy will expire June 30, 2017, and is expected to be on the ballot during the general election in November.
n Lawyers in Attorney General Patrick Morrisey's office have requested two more weeks to pore over the voluminous file in the case of Joseph A. Buffey, 33, of Clarksburg, reports the Exponent-Telegram. In a filing with the West Virginia Supreme Court late Tuesday, Solicitor General Elbert Lin and assistant attorney generals Gilbert Dickey and Katlyn Miller asked for the extra time to decide whether to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court the state Supreme Court's decision allowing Buffey, a state prison inmate, to withdraw his guilty pleas in a 2001 rape/robbery. The justices previously granted a 30-day stay in the case that expires Friday.
Reach Lauren McGill at lauren.mcgill@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-5129, or follow @LaurenLMcGill on Twitter.