Tom Markland

1 week ago | journal-news.net | Tom Markland

MARTINSBURG – Berkeley County’s newest magistrate, Sandra “Sandy” Hamilton, was sworn in Friday afternoon by 27th Judicial Circuit Judge Catie Wilkes-Delligatti. She is replacing former Magistrate David DeHaven, who was elected in May of 2024. Hamilton is a lifelong resident of Berkeley County, graduating from Musselman High School and later being recognized as an outstanding alumni.

1 week ago | journal-news.net | Tom Markland

MARTINSBURG – An effort to find a new funding source for Martinsburg-Berkeley County Parks and Recreation is underway, with county leaders looking into potentially putting a park levy on the 2026 ballot. During a Berkeley County Commission meeting on Thursday, Martinsburg-Berkeley County Parks and Recreation Executive Director Joe Burton made a case to the county commissioners for the parks levy to be put on the ballot for the May 2026 primary election.

1 week ago | journal-news.net | Tom Markland

MARTINSBURG – During its regular meeting on Thursday, the Berkeley County Commission heard two requests: one to change ambulance rates and one to add CMC steel to the county’s northern Tax Increment Funding (TIF) district. The Berkeley County Emergency Ambulance Authority (BCEAA) is on track for around 16,000 responses to emergency situations this year, resulting in an estimated 9,000 transports, about 4% growth from last year.

1 week ago | journal-news.net | Tom Markland

INWOOD – Over their four years in high school, the 410 graduates from Musselman High School’s Class of 2025 have created hundreds, if not thousands, of memories. For Silas Yates, the best memory from his four years of high school was winning the state jazz band championship. For Kiara Petry, her best memory was going to the state tournament for basketball. They both described their graduating class as funny, unique and different. “No one is really the same,” Petry said.

1 week ago | journal-news.net | Tom Markland

MARTINSBURG – Effective June 1, Berkeley County residents can expect to see a 23.5% increase in their water bill - the third of five scheduled increases and b far, the largest of the five. The bill for an average customer, who consumes 3,400 gallons of water every month, will increase by $8.80, going from $37.90 to $46.70. At the same time, capacity improvement fees for connecting a new structure to the water system are going up from $3,106 to $3,653.