All schools in Upshur County will close at 1 p.m. today. All B-UHS sporting events today are canceled.

City recycling center receives $50,000 REAP grant to replace hook lift truck

REAP-Award-Board-Jeff
Board member Nathan Fetty, Waste Dept. Supervisor Jeff Wamsley, Mayor David McCauley, and city engineer Jay Hollen with the REAP award at Buckhannon City Hall during the Nov. 1 Waste Board meeting.

BUCKHANNON — With the #BuckhannonRecycles campaign underway, the city received timely news that the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection will fund part of the purchase price of a new recycling hook lift truck.

Pick-up around town and at the two drop-off centers will get a boost as the new truck will replace a deficient piece of equipment that was over 10 years old, and as such was costly to maintain and operate. The award of $50,000 represents about half of the total expected cost.

Niki Davis of the Rehabilitative Environmental Action Plan (REAP) Recycling Grants program presented the award to City Engineer and Waste Board member, Jay Hollen, at the West Virginia Educational Conference on Litter Control and Solid Waste Management held at Stonewall Jackson Resort Oct. 28-30.

The City of Buckhannon Waste Department picks up recycling from the CrossRoads Recycling Drop-Off Center and local businesses using a hook lift truck. The Waste Department also picks up recycling from residences twice monthly.

Currently, the Recycling Center accepts 1 & 2 plastics, aluminum & steel cans, paper & magazines, and corrugated cardboard.

Recycling is a good way to cut back on the amount of material that flows into landfills, extending the lifetime of these facilities, while saving landfill tipping fees. In turn, the city also collects payment for the materials it collects, rather than paying for its disposal, as is the case with waste that goes to the landfill.

When you compare the costs spent on the old equipment, plus the additional landfill tipping fees if the City did not offer recycling, this equipment acquisition is a no-brainer.

With the help of $50,000 from the REAP program, thecity will be able to acquire the needed equipment with no additional cost to our residents or businesses. In the broader context, recycling also reduces the need for raw materials and allows for more efficient production of new goods, a win for the environment and the economy.

To learn more about recycling in Buckhannon and Upshur County, please visit the city page on recycling here: http://buckhannonwv.org/residents/recycling/

To learn about the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s REAP programs, visit their webpage here: https://dep.wv.gov/environmental-advocate/reap/Pages/default.aspx

Share this story:

Local Businesses

RECENT Stories

Upshur County Sheriff appoints officer with 23 years of experience as chief deputy

Sheriff Mike Coffman appointed Theron Caynor, a 23-year veteran of the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office, as chief deputy during a Dec. 11 swearing-in in the circuit courtroom.

Dwayne Edward Grubb

Dwayne Edward Grubb, 64, of Clarksburg, WV, a prep cook who enjoyed fishing and family, died December 12, 2025; survivors include four sisters, a brother, 10 nieces and nephews, and close friend Josh.

Winter storm warning issued for Upshur County with 6 to 10 inches of snow expected over the weekend

Heavy snow is forecast from Saturday afternoon through early Monday morning, with bitter cold to follow.

Buckhannon Toyota donates $10,000 to Feed My Sheep to fund Christmas meal baskets

Buckhannon Toyota donated $10,000 to Feed My Sheep Food Outreach to help fund about 400 Christmas meal baskets and other holiday support for families, seniors, veterans and the homeless.

Buckhannon Community Theatre honors Felicia Burger Westfall Johnston with 2025 Knorr Award

Felicia Burger Westfall Johnston, an early pioneer of Buckhannon Community Theatre who has starred in productions and served on the board of directors, received the 2025 Knorr Award.

Leadership Upshur dives into healthcare and public safety during December session

The December Leadership Upshur session offered participants a close look at the people, systems and teamwork that keep the community safe and healthy, with visits to Community Care of West Virginia, WVU Medicine St. Joseph’s Hospital and the Buckhannon Public Safety Complex.

Garnieta “Gay” Baxa

Garnieta “Gay” Baxa, 92, of Old Elkins Road died December 10, 2025; she is survived by husband Howard “Frank” Baxa, three children, seven grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and extended family, with services at Heavner and Cutright.

Basketball ‘Cats tumble to Point Park, 90-66

Point Park’s hot perimeter shooting and a dominant second half sank WVWC 90-66, with the Pioneers hitting 15 threes and capitalizing on turnovers while Wesleyan’s Isaiah Baker and Stephen Ovia fought inside.

Dandridge scores 30 as Wesleyan women down Point Park, 83-58

Freshman Kilah Dandridge scored 30 points as West Virginia Wesleyan shot 53% and dominated a 29‑point third quarter to beat Point Park 83-58, paced by Ana Young (18) and Emma Witt (15).