Severe Weather & Local Economy: Martinsburg is assessing damage after a “thousand-year” storm dumped about 5 inches of rain (with reports of more) Thursday night, flooding streets and homes, disrupting commutes, and forcing Berkeley County Schools to close Martinsburg High School for “significant water intrusion.” Public Safety & Infrastructure: Mayor Kevin Knowles and City Manager Andy Blake spent hours directing traffic and clearing debris, including work to unclog a culvert after basement flooding topped 4 feet. AI Power & Data Centers: Anthropic agreed to pay about $45 billion over six years for Nscale computing capacity tied to a Vera Rubin-powered campus in Mason County, West Virginia—about 460 megawatts starting late next year. Energy Utility Outlook: FirstEnergy says higher revenues and disciplined costs are strengthening its outlook, with data-center demand pushing contracted and pipeline electricity needs higher. Big Tech Settlement: Meta reached an $18 billion multistate settlement over children’s mental health concerns; West Virginia is among the states expected to receive funds. Education & Workforce: Concord University is accepting registrations for its 33rd annual Business Challenge (Oct. 22), offering scholarships for high schoolers. Community & Literacy: Read Aloud West Virginia launched a September fundraising push in memory of Dolly Parton’s literacy work, matching donations with Imagination Library partners. Business Development: A new GOAT Pub opened in Bridgeport, bringing a NIL-linked concept to WVU athletics. Health & Safety: The U.S. Chemical Safety Board updated its investigation into a fatal April hydrogen sulfide release at a West Virginia facility during decommissioning.