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

City to establish new fire lane adjacent to Stockert Youth & Community Center

Buckhannon Fire Chief JB Kimble at the Consolidated Public Works Board's Jan. 23 meeting. (Photo by Monica Zalaznik)

BUCKHANNON – The Consolidated Public Works Board voted to establish a new fire lane next to the Stockert Youth and Community Center.

Buckhannon Fire Chief JB Kimble attended the Jan. 23 Consolidated meeting to request the new fire lane because parked vehicles are making it difficult for some of the fire trucks to exit via Friendly Way.

Mayor Robbie Skinner broke down the situation for the board.

“There has become an issue at the northeast side of Friendly Way — folks are parking along that fence line on the vacant lot side of the street next to SYCC, and our ladder truck and our fire engines need to get out that way,” Skinner said. “They can’t get on the street when people park along the fence.”

Kimble said the problem typically occurs during large events at SYCC.

“People don’t like parking lots, and usually once the parking lot at SYCC gets full, they start parking in the street instead of utilizing the Public Safety Complex or the Jawbone parking area,” Kimble said. “There is a sign that says, ‘No Parking,’ [but] it’s not a fire lane and not an official city sign. Now, on the SYCC side of the sidewalk, everything’s painted red, but on the other side, there’s nothing to signify that that’s a fire lane.”

Kimble said since that section of the road is not designated a fire lane, they have no way to ask people not to park there and then enforce it.

“There was a car there yesterday parked within 15 feet of that fire hydrant, which is against state code, but without it being a fire lane that says, ‘No Parking,’ there’s nothing we can really do,” the fire chief said. “If somebody parks there, our ladder truck will drag them out into the street – that’s why that sign was put there, but people don’t pay attention to ‘No Parking’ signs anymore.”

Kimble said he could ask the police department to ask people to move their vehicles, but that would become tedious.

“I have to call the police department, and they have to walk over there and ask people to move their car, or it’s going to get towed, but why bother them?” Kimble said. “I can just walk over and say this is a fire lane if we paint it.”

Skinner agreed with Kimble and said they would need to speak with SYCC staff about angling their vehicles in the small parking lot across from the problem area.

“We need to have a discussion with Debora [Brockleman, SYCC executive director] because if they are going to park on the left-hand side, they need to angle their cars; they can’t stick out in the road and potentially block the fire trucks,” the mayor said.

Share this story:

RECENT Stories

Strawberry Festival Parade

West Virginia Strawberry Festival parade routes and parking restrictions announced

The West Virginia Strawberry Festival and City of Buckhannon have announced the parade routes, schedules and parking restrictions from May 10-18 to ensure safety and smooth operations during the 83rd annual celebration in Buckhannon.

Coordinator hired to support WVWC’s Certificate in Addiction Counseling program

West Virginia Wesleyan College has appointed addiction specialist Jon Dower as coordinator for its new Certificate in Addiction Counseling program, aiming to enhance behavioral health education and address statewide substance use challenges.

Wesleyan launches Certificate in Addiction Counseling program to combat substance use disorders in Appalachia

West Virginia Wesleyan College is launching a fully online, post-master’s Certificate in Addiction Counseling this fall to help address substance use disorders in West Virginia and the broader Appalachian region.

City of Buckhannon announces yard waste collection schedule and rescheduling update

Buckhannon residents can receive yard waste collection on designated Fridays and drop off limited loads at the Recycling Center for free, with the May 16 collection now rescheduled to May 23 because of the Strawberry Festival.

Donald Lee Simons

Donald Lee Simons, 77, a Buckhannon construction worker and former country club caddy known for his love of fishing, died at home on April 23, 2025, survived by family and friends.

Turn the page on a long winter: Little Free Libraries are the perfect Spring activity

Little Free Libraries in Upshur County offer free books at numerous locations, fostering community connections and literacy for all ages while encouraging residents to donate, borrow, and share a wide variety of reading materials.

The Colonial Arts Center & CAC Gallery Present: 2025 Vandalia Arts Journal Exhibition

The CAC Gallery will host the inaugural exhibition of The Vandalia Arts Journal from April 25 to May 10, featuring WV Wesleyan College students’ literary and visual works.

Upshur County FFA members compete in the West Virginia Beef Stockman’s Contest at the 2025 Beef Expo

Four Upshur County FFA members gained hands-on experience and new skills while competing in knowledge and evaluation events at the West Virginia Beef Stockman’s Contest during the Beef Expo at WVU Jackson’s Mill.

Buckhannon Zoning Board of Appeals Agenda: May 28, 2025

The City of Buckhannon has released the agenda and public notice for its Zoning Board of Appeals meeting scheduled for May 28, 2025.

Baseball suffers losses to Point Pleasant and University

The Buckhannon-Upshur baseball team fell to Point Pleasant 8-5 then suffered a 16-0 shutout against University, dropping their record to 7-11.

Softball Lady Bucs take down Bearcats by an 8-3 score

Kynnedy Marple pitched a complete-game three-hitter and contributed offensively as Buckhannon-Upshur defeated Grafton 8-3 in a Big 10 Conference softball game, improving the Lady Bucs’ record to 9-7.

Highland Landscaping takes week one lead in men’s golf league standings

Highland Landscaping claimed an early lead in the Buckhannon Country Club Bob Cupp Memorial Golf League, defeating Feola’s Flowers and topping the standings after the opening week of play.