Under a mountainside that had slipped again and again, residents of Thistle Ridge faced a grim reality — unstable ground, blocked roads and no clear path forward.
For more than four years, bureaucratic delays and shifting priorities left a vital infrastructure fix stalled while families worried their homes could be lost and emergency access cut off. Then, Rep. Mark Pless took up their cause.
After repeated visits to state transportation offices and persistent work to secure funding, construction finally moved forward and crews stabilized the slope above Big Branch Road, a small but tangible sign that steadfast advocacy can still move stalled projects…