During Thursday’s regular monthly meeting of the Downtown Development Commission, questions were raised about the lack of  progress on the Maryland Avenue Redevelopment Project. Although the effort to develop a commercial plaza and shopping complex in the Rolling Mill district dates back to 2015- a formal groundbreaking wasn’t  held until December of 2020- and to date only one building is partially completed. Developer Ed Scott at the time of the groundbreaking predicted significant progress with businesses opening in 2022- but that hasn’t happened-  and it now appears as though construction activity has come to a halt. Cumberland Economic Development Corporation…

Maryland Governor Wes Moore and state lawmakers announced support Thursday for measures protecting abortion rights, including a state constitutional amendment that would enshrine it. Lt Governor Aruna Miller, House Speaker Adrienne Jones, Senate President Bill Ferguson and Delegate Ariana Kelly  joined the governor to show their support for a measure that would protect patients and providers in Maryland from criminal, civil and administrative penalties relating to abortion bans or restrictions in other states. Moore, a Democrat, demonstrated his support for abortion rights soon after taking office last month, when he announced on his second day in office that he was releasing $3.5 million in…

Maryland’s lone Republican congressman blasted President Biden this week for accusing the GOP of wanting to cut Social Security and Medicare. Biden drew a raucous response from Republicans during his State of the Union address Tuesday night when he suggested that some Republican lawmakers  are on in support of allowing Social Security and Medicare to sunset. Congressman Andy Harris chose not to attend the State of the Union, saying that he knew it would be nothing more than a campaign speech, but he did listen. He said that his party has no plans to cut or eliminate social security and medicare, however…

Sandra Burton, the widow of prominent business leader Rex Burton, passed away suddenly on Monday at the age of 81. Born in Berkeley Springs, W.Va., on March 11, 1941, Sandra was preceded in death by her parents and her husband who passed in 2020. Mr. Burton was a fixture in the local  business and banking community for more than 60 years. The Burton family was long active in local businesses having operated Burton's Inc., the Burton's Shopping Center, in LaVale, and Sunset View Real Estate. Mrs Burton helped her daughter shop and organize shoebox stuffers for packing parties for Operation…

WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 AM EST FRIDAY… * WHAT…Southwest winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 55 mph expected. Winds will turn westward overnight. * WHERE…In Maryland, Extreme Western Allegany and Central and Eastern Allegany Counties. In West Virginia, Eastern Grant, Western Mineral, Eastern Mineral and Eastern Pendleton Counties. * WHEN…From 7 PM this evening to 7 AM EST Friday. * IMPACTS…Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… Use extra caution when driving, especially if…

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and top state lawmakers announced support Thursday for a package of measures protecting abortion rights, including a state constitutional amendment.  House Speaker Adrienne Jones and Senate President Bill Ferguson, who are both Democrats, joined the governor at a news conference to back a measure that would protect patients and providers in Maryland from criminal, civil and administrative penalties relating to abortion bans or restrictions in other states. Dozens of senators and delegates stood by them at a crowded announcement. “We’re going to make sure that Maryland is a safe haven for abortion rights long after I’m governor of this state,"…

Allegany College of Maryland, the region’s only fully accredited nurse training program, will offer a weekend hybrid nursing program starting this fall. The program, which offers individuals the chance to enter the workforce in only two years, will accept 40 students into its inaugural class. Applications are due April 15. ACM’s nursing program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing and the Maryland and Pennsylvania boards of nursing.    The program partners asynchronous online classes with mandatory in-person skills and lab instruction or clinical commitments every Saturday for up to 15 weeks each semester. All clinical hours are completed at UPMC Western Maryland. The program was created at the…

The Maryland State Fire Marshall’s Office announced that fire of an undetermined nature destroyed an apartment residence at 106B Stone Hill Road before dawn Wednesday and claimed the lives of two dogs. No one was home at the time of the 2:34 a.m. blaze that was discovered by a neighbor, prompting the response of the Grantsville Volunteer Fire Department to the scene. The fire consumed the two-story, single-family property owned and occupied by Phillip Bender and Enos Yoder. The property loss of the structure that was converted from a garage to an apartment was estimated at $25,000. No information was disclosed…

Chip Minemyer, general manager of the Times-News, and editor and general manager of The Tribune-Democrat in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, has been named the publisher in both markets, parent company CNHI announced Wednesday. Minemyer has been general manager in Cumberland and Johnstown since 2021. He also serves as publisher for Allegany and Johnstown magazines. Minemyer said he is “humbled” that the company is entrusting in him the responsibility to lead media organizations in two markets — and two states. He succeeds Robert Forcey as publisher in Cumberland and Johnstown

WBAL reports a 2.6-magnitude earthquake was recorded Wednesday night off the Atlantic coast at the Maryland/Virginia border, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The USGS data indicates the earthquake was reported at 8:21 p.m. and was located about 18 miles east of the shoreline with a depth of 11.2 km. Earthquakes of this magnitude are often not felt but can be recorded by a seismograph.