https://thepanhandlepatriot.wixsite.com/jefferson-county-new

The Panhandle Patriot, 101 E Washington Street, Charles Town, WV (2026)

08/25/2026

🚨 PUBLIC RECORDS: Commissioner Cara Keys apparently thinks county government should revolve around her kickball schedule.

Commissioner Cara Keys has cultivated a likable public image, but these newly obtained emails give Jefferson County residents a very different look at how she behaves behind the scenes.

The dispute? A voluntary employee kickball game.

When Keys discovered the game conflicted with her Planning Commission meeting, she didn’t simply RSVP “no.”

Instead, she demanded to know why her personal schedule hadn’t been taken into account:

“Did you not take into my schedule on the planning commission when drafting this schedule for kickball?”

Then came this:

“Should I put this on the agenda, so my participation is respected in decisions?”

And she did.

Keys submitted an official Jefferson County Commission agenda request over the scheduling of the kickball game.

But it gets worse.

County Administrator Edwina Benites explained that the event was organized by Culture Task Force volunteers, that attendance by commissioners was entirely optional, and that the event was intended for county employees, not centered around any individual officeholder.

That apparently wasn’t enough.

The following day, Keys sent a lengthy email accusing the County Administrator of a “serious breakdown in our established chain of command” and laying out her expectations going forward:

• “Direct communication”
• “Professional courtesy”
• “No triangulation with other commissioners”
• Bringing potential event dates to commission meetings

All of this… over a voluntary kickball game.

But this isn’t about kickball anymore. It’s about temperament. It’s about entitlement.

And it’s about whether an elected official views county staff and county activities as serving Jefferson County, or herself.

A lot of people in Jefferson County like Cara Keys. That’s precisely why these public records matter.

Voters usually see politicians at meetings, campaign events and carefully managed public appearances.

Emails show you how they act when they think the public isn’t watching.

Read them for yourself and decide:

Is this the kind of leadership Jefferson County voted for?

08/24/2026

🚨 CHARLES TOWN TO BUSINESSES: DON’T BOTHER.

Businesses are actively looking to invest in Charles Town and the City Council’s response is to change the zoning code to keep them out.

The Council just advanced a proposal that would prohibit new:

• Gas stations
• Car washes
• Quick-lube shops
• Auto dealerships

across the Old Town district, including commercial areas along Augustine Avenue and South George Street.

And this isn’t theoretical. According to the city’s own staff report, Charles Town has recently received inquiries from auto-related businesses interested in opening in the district. (Observer Weekly)

That means potential jobs, private investment, tax revenue, and services residents actually use are knocking on the door while City Hall is busy figuring out how to lock it.

Only Councilman Kevin Tester voted against advancing the restrictions. The proposal is scheduled for a public hearing and final vote on September 8. (Observer Weekly)

A growing city should be asking:

“How do we attract more businesses and jobs?”

Not:

“How do we rewrite the zoning code to stop them from coming?”

Charles Town doesn’t have a development problem.

It has a City Hall problem.

08/12/2026

PANDERING PASHA STRIKES AGAIN

Jefferson County Commissioner Pasha Majdi just claimed a powerline fight is “the biggest fight since John Brown’s Raid.”

Look, people can and should raise legitimate concerns about transmission lines—property rights, eminent domain, visual impact, environmental effects, whatever the actual issues are. That’s fair game.

But comparing a 765kV powerline project to John Brown’s Raid? The one that helped spark the fight to end slavery? That’s not seriousness. That’s historical malpractice dressed up as rhetoric.

He just skipped over the Civil War, two World Wars, 9/11, and every actual major battle this country has fought so he could hype a utility project. That’s not defending the community. That’s treating American history like a cheap prop for Facebook engagement.

Jefferson County deserves commissioners who can tell the difference between infrastructure debates and a revolution that helped end slavery.

Pasha Majdi just showed he can’t.

08/10/2026

🚨Commissioner Jack Hefestay: Loyalty for Sale?! 🚨

Did you know Jack Hefestay paid former Commissioner Tricia Jackson’s bail?

Now that she needs him to help stop elitist political opportunist Pasha Majdi and reclaim her commission seat, Jack is nowhere to be found.

The man who owes his seat to Jackson suddenly decided her fight wasn’t his problem.

What did Pasha Majdi and Commissioner Cara Keys offer Jack in exchange for his silence and support? Or did they just fall back on their usual playbook — threats?

Even worse: Jack voted not to send Tricia a bill for the legal fees the county paid on her behalf… and never disclosed the obvious conflict of interest. This is potentially unlawful.

Jack took the favor.
Jack accepted the organization.
Jack took the cover.

Then Jack left her hanging the second the pressure came from the other side.

That’s not leadership.
That’s not loyalty.
That’s a politician who knows exactly which way the wind is blowing and sells out accordingly.

Jefferson County deserves better than fair-weather commissioners who cash in the favors and then disappear when it’s time to stand up.

08/08/2026

‼️Is lashing out and intimidation becoming the norm on the Jefferson County Commission?‼️

Yesterday, we reported allegations that Commissioner Jack Hefestay got into a heated verbal confrontation with Jackie Milliron following a County Commission meeting. Milliron says Hefestay yelled at her, called her a “disgrace” and a “fraud,” and questioned her intelligence after she challenged him about statements made during the meeting.

Now we’re hearing allegations of another troubling incident, this time involving Commissioner Cara Keys.

According to people familiar with the situation, county staff had spent months organizing the annual Ranson vs. Jefferson County kickball game. Keys reportedly learned about the date roughly two weeks beforehand and had another obligation that day.

Instead of simply sitting this one out, sources allege Keys demanded that the already-planned event be moved. When Ranson pushed back, Keys allegedly pressured county employees and attempted to strong-arm Ranson into changing the date.

If accurate, this raises a bigger question:

When did intimidation become an acceptable way for elected officials to deal with employees, constituents, and other local governments?

Commissioners aren’t bosses of the county, they’re public servants. Yet in Jefferson County it looks like Queen Cara and her court think they’re in charge.

08/07/2026

What happened in the parking lot after yesterday’s meeting between Commissioner Jack Hefestay and Jackie Miliron?

We’re hearing the confrontation became extremely heated.

Whatever happened, elected officials should be able to handle criticism and disagreement without losing their temper.

The public deserves to know what happened and whether Commissioner Hefestay is still fit to serve in office.

08/04/2026

While the rest of Jefferson County watches property taxes climb, Commissioner Jack Hefestay’s situation looks a little different.

There have long been questions about whether he actually lives in the Charles Town district he represents—or at his place in Kearneysville. One thing the tax records make clear: both properties are listed as owner-occupied.

You’re not allowed to claim two primary residences. One has to be classified as a second/vacation home and taxed at the higher rate. Yet Hefestay’s taxes dropped on *both* properties while everyone else is getting hit harder—and the classification still isn’t correct.

Where is the prosecutor on this? Double owner-occupied status and lower bills for the commissioner while the rest of the county pays more isn’t a paperwork glitch. It’s something that deserves a real look.

Accountability shouldn’t stop at the county line.

08/01/2026

Jefferson County residents are opening their tax bills and many aren’t seeing the “tax relief” they were promised.

When homeowners are reporting higher assessments and bigger tax bills while elected officials appear insulated from the same pain, people are going to ask hard questions.

Commissioner Pasha Majdi owes taxpayers clear answers:
• Why are so many residents seeing dramatic increases?
• How was the tax rate reduction supposed to offset rising assessments?
• Why do some properties appear to have gone down in assessed value while others skyrocketed?

Transparency isn’t optional. Jefferson County taxpayers deserve facts, not talking points.

07/22/2026

🚨 A Tale of Two Candidates in Panhandle Politics 🚨

While West Virginia families are still reeling from devastating floods and desperately need help, sitting commissioner Pasha Majdi is busy brunching with the elite at Bistro 122 in ultra-liberal Shepherdstown this morning — posting selfies like everything’s just fine.

Meanwhile, his challenger Tricia Jackson is on the ground doing what real leaders do: actively calling for flood relief supplies to help her fellow West Virginians in their time of need.

The contrast couldn’t be clearer.

07/20/2026

🚨 Is Commissioner Cara Keys Violating the West Virginia Ethics Act?

County Commissioners are entrusted with a sacred duty to serve the public, not their own private businesses.

Sitting County Commissioner Cara Keys operates an active commercial real estate appraisal business. This isn’t a minor side gig — it creates constant, built-in conflicts of interest that strike at the heart of ethical government:

‼️ She appraises properties for banks that hold millions in county taxpayer deposits (directly addressed in Ethics Commission AO 90-97).
‼️ She has participated in discussions and voted on land-use applications involving properties and clients she personally appraised — in clear violation of the recusal requirements in AO 2011-01.

This isn’t “public service.” This is the kind of insider dealing that erodes trust and puts private profit ahead of taxpayers.

What the Law Demands

West Virginia ethics rules are not suggestions. They require undivided loyalty to the public. Officials with private financial ties to banks or clients involved in county matters must disclose the conflict, recuse themselves, and leave the room (W. Va. Code § 6B-2-5(j)).

Taxpayer dollars should never flow to institutions that have active business relationships with sitting commissioners. County banking decisions must be based on best rates and value, not who’s scratching whose back.

What Must Happen Immediately

✅ Full transparency: A complete public record of every vote and discussion involving her appraisal clients or their banks.
✅ Strict recusal: No more votes, no more discussions, disclose and vacate the seat every single time.
✅ Protect county funds: Immediate review of depository contracts to eliminate these glaring conflicts.

This is exactly why citizens are fed up with government that serves the connected instead of the people.

Take Action Now:

🚨 Show up to the next County Commission meeting and demand answers during public comment.
🚨 Call for a public recusal log so every citizen can see the conflicts.
🚨 Push the Commission to clean up its banking relationships and put taxpayers first.

Share this if you believe elected officials should work for you — not their private clients.

Accountability matters. Integrity matters. The public trust is not for sale.

The Panhandle Patriot

08/25/2026

08/24/2026

08/12/2026

08/10/2026

08/08/2026

08/07/2026

08/04/2026

08/01/2026

07/22/2026

07/20/2026

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Business

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Listing takedown request