President Joe Biden this week  said Republican policies would blow up the national debt by $3 trillion over 10 years, taking direct aim at GOP lawmakers who say their priority is a balancing the federal budget.  Biden told union workers gathered in Lanham, Maryland his budget, which is set to be released March 9, would protect Social Security and Medicare from cuts, while reducing the national debt by $2 trillion over a decade. One key driver of Biden’s planned deficit reduction appears to be his willingness to increase taxes on the wealthiest U.S. households.                                         

A water line break near the campus of Allegany College of Maryland has forced the school to close at 3:15 Thursday. Off branch activities will not be impacted

The City of Cumberland Engineering Department would like to notify the public on the behalf of Carl Belt Inc. that construction on the Baltimore Street Bridge will begin on Monday. The project is expected to be completed in the summer of 2024. Construction will occur between the hours of 7am-5pm, Monday through Friday.   The bridge will remain open for two lanes of traffic during construction, with the exception of scheduled nighttime closures. No parking will be permitted on the bridge until the project is complete.   Future press releases will be issued to notify the public of traffic pattern changes….

Frostburg State University is excited to announce that beginning in the Fall of 2023, they will partner with Allegany County Public Schools to offer the Bobcat Academy – a dual enrollment pilot program to give motivated high seniors an immersive college experience and an opportunity to earn college credits while simultaneously completing high school. Students meeting the eligibility requirements and who are interested in applying for acceptance into the Bobcat Academy will have the opportunity to do so at several informational sessions. The dates are as follows: Feb. 16 at 9:45 a.m. at Fort Hill High School and Feb. 23…

The Allegany County Public School system is reporting steaedy progress with the MCAP standardized tests results. The report by the Maryland Department of Education in January showed test scores stsatewide for students returning to pre-pandemic performance levels in English but not in math. Trina Simpson, supervisor of assessments and accountabilit, provided the school board with an overview of the local test results- noting that pre COVID numbers saw the system in a strong position. 

The Congressional Budget Office on Wednesday said the U.S. Treasury Department will exhaust its ability to pay all its bills sometime between July and September, unless the current $31.4 trillion cap on borrowing is raised or suspended. In a report issued alongside its annual budget outlook, the non-partisan CBO cautioned that a historic federal debt default could occur before July if revenue flowing into the Treasury in April – when most Americans typically submit annual income tax filings – lags expectations. Democrats are pressing for a quick, clean increase in Treasury borrowing authority, while Republicans insist on first nailing down significant reductions in…

A very busy Wednesday for Allegany County Emergency Services battling two large brush fires, a house fire and unintended trash fire as well as a missing juvenile. Kicking off yesterday afternoon with the fire and Corriganville area along Mount Savage and later a second fire along Mountain Ridge Road area of Rawlings. Low humidity Gusty winds and dry ground conditions for a second straight day make a dangerous combination for brush fires in our region. Firefighters from Allegany and Garrett County along with fire crews from Pennsylvania and West Virginia responding to the Corriganville fire. An hour later firefighters from Allegany…

With Maryland's new governor pushing for another increase in the state's minimum wage by October, some local officials are concerned with the impact that could have small businesses in the region. Western Maryland faces a unique challenge in that customers can easily cross borders to West Virginia or Pennsylvania to shop. The minimum wage in Pennsylvania is $7.25 an hour, in West Virginia it is $8.75. Cumberland Mayor Ray Morriss said that a multi tiered approach with the rates depending on what part of the state you live in would be helpful, but he doesn't anticipate the General Assembly moving…

The City of Cumberland Engineering Department would like to notify the public on the behalf of Columbia Gas of Maryland that between February 15th, 2023 and February 24th, 2023 there will be construction performed on Weber Street, between Baltimore Ave and Westview Terrace from 7AM to 7PM each day. Weber Street will be closed to thru traffic from Baltimore Avenue to Westview Terrace between 7AM and 7PM on February 15th to February 24th. The road closure will allow Columbia Gas and its contractor to complete a critical task in the project area. A separate project will take place between February 15th,…

Even though covid numbers are down dramatically, crowded hospitals are becoming an issue nationwide. According to the Maryland Hospital Association it is a combination of factors beginning with flu cases on the rise while staffing levels are significantly down at the same time, more people are seeking care some for issues that put off during the pandemic some for issues caused by it. Which all adds up to crowded hospitals. While those are problem that have been experienced locally at UPMC Western Maryland and hasn't gotten unmanageable according to hospital officials. President Michelle Martz tells WCBC news that the staffing shortage…