By Jessica Farrish, THE REGISTER-HERALD
BECKLEY, W.Va. — Temperatures on Saturday soared into the 80s. With shopping malls, restaurants, spas and salons closed, following Gov. Jim Justice’s March 24 “stay at home” order, many people headed to national, state, county and local parks to hike or fish.
City officials and local residents reported that groups were congregated under shelters at Little Beaver State Park and Grandview New River Gorge National River Park, both in Raleigh County, and at city basketball courts and on playground equipment.
A number of people reportedly broke the social distancing order in area parks, prompting a flood of calls to Raleigh County 911 Center on Saturday and Sunday, Beckley Parks and Recreations Department Leslie Baker said.
Public signs urging social distance were vandalized at local parks over the weekend, and the Raleigh County 911 Center was flooded on Saturday and Sunday by local callers who reported that crowds were gathering at picnic shelters and basketball courts at various parks in the region, defying Justice’s order not to gather in large numbers, a city official reported on Monday. …
