Buckhannon Banter: Get the local lowdown for May 7, 2025

Carolyn E. Grove, 85, of Buckhannon, WV, went to be with her Lord on June 4, 2026, at Mountain Living Community Assisted Living Facility in Belington, WV. She was a pastor, missionary, and devoted prayer warrior.

Tim Derico took the oath as Upshur County’s next superintendent on Tuesday, while Christy Miller closed her three-year tenure with a farewell address and a message for the doubters: “The progress of Upshur County Schools is not imagined. It is measurable, and it is meaningful.”

Fresh off the Strawberry Festival, Buckhannon kept summer momentum rolling with a packed opening night of Festival Fridays at Jawbone Park, featuring record crowds, diverse vendors, and live music from the Davisson Brothers Band.

Fairmont State’s Dr. Rosemarie Igbo will be honored as Woman of the Year at the 47th West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival in downtown Clarksburg, with the award ceremony Sept. 3, 2026, and festivities Sept. 4–6.

The Almost Heaven BBQ Bash is serving up a full weekend of free family fun in Buckhannon, with Lego building, sand art, face painting, a cake-decorating contest and the National Guard gaming trailer.

West Virginia hit a historic low in roadway fatalities in 2024, with 256 deaths—the fewest ever recorded—continuing a decline from 282 in 2021.