West Virginia Governor Jim Justice continued his road show this week as he continues to try and maintain public attention for his proposed 50% income tax cut. The bill, which has already passed in the House of Delegates by a vote of 95-2, proposes to cut West Virginia’s income tax in half, with a 30% reduction in June 2023, and another 10% in 2024 and 2025. Justice was been joined at the Town Hall meetings by Secretary of Revenue Dave Hardy who has previously said that this tax cut will put more than a billion dollars back into the pockets of West Virginians by…

According to law enforcement statistics- many of the crimes being committed in Maryland are from repeat violent offenders. Law enforcement agencies across the state report that almost 60% of people arrested for violent crimes are repeat violent offenders. It's far from a new problem in Maryland, but one that so far has not been solved. Delegate Jason Buckel, House Minority Leader, says that while he has some concerns about Governor Wes Moore’s proposed budget to address public safety, he is in agreement that there is a deperate need for additional parole and probation officers…

Skyrocketing interest rates through most of 2022 put some much-needed pressure on the housing market after home prices hit record highs across the nation. However, since December, mortgage rates have been on a steady decline which continues now into February.  While the housing market slowing may seem like bad timing for Cumberland where local officials have invested in a number of housing projects in recent years- and have even more in the pipeline- Mayor Ray Morriss is not discouraged…

WHAT…Freezing drizzle and black ice. Snow possible in some areas after midnight. Ice accumulations of a light glaze and snow accumulations of up to one inch. WHERE…Portions of western Maryland, northwest Virginia and eastern West Virginia. WHEN…Until 4 AM EST Wednesday. IMPACTS…Plan on slippery road conditions.\ ADDITIONAL DETAILS…Temperatures are falling below freezing and residual moisture combined with areas of freezing drizzle are resulting in locally hazardous road conditions. AFFECTED AREAS: GARRETT … EXTREME WESTERN ALLEGANY … CENTRAL AND EASTERN ALLEGANY … SHENANDOAH … WARREN … HAMPSHIRE … HARDY … WESTERN GRANT … EASTERN GRANT … WESTERN MINERAL … EASTERN MINERAL…

The City of Cumberland Engineering Department, on behalf of First Energy, would like to notify the public that South Mechanic Street will be closed to thru traffic between Baltimore Street and Pershing Street between 8:30 AM and 3:00 PM on Thursday, February 2nd, to allow First Energy to replace a broken pole. The road will be closed until the repairs are made.   Signage will be in place to detour passenger vehicles around the road closure. Trucks will be detoured to Queen City Drive to avoid the closure.   Traffic is expected to be restored on Thursday, February 2nd, at…

Allegany County Emergency Services reports a vehicle accident with injuries on Winchester Road near the Sheetz store, 

U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Jamie B. Raskin, David Trone and Glenn Ivey (all D-Md.) today announced $2.9 million in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) funding for Maryland schools to purchase local foods and beverages for school meal programs.   The federal dollars come from the USDA’s Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program. Through the program, the Maryland Department of Education will buy local and nutritious foods from area farmers and processors to use in school lunches. Meals will vary depending on each school…

The City of Frostburg has acquired properties in the downtown area to develop a new parking lot to serve the community by providing additional off-street parking.  Four residential properties on Mechanic Street will be razed and a new parking lot between Mechanic and Park Street will be developed.  As part of the project, the City sold the existing City parking lot adjacent to 42 W. Mechanic (behind Frostburg United Methodist Church).  Before construction begins later this year, public parking will be available in the rear of 28-32 W. Mechanic Street effective February 7, 2023.  Overnight parking passes for the City…

On Monday, January 30, 2023 at approximately 7:04 PM, officers of the Cumberland Police Department responded to the Amtrak Station on E. Harrison Street for an intoxicated passenger that needed removed from the train.  Police contacted the passenger who was identified as Matthew Greening.  Greening was found to be in possession of a controlled dangerous substance.  Greening was arrested and transported to police headquarters for processing.  He was later transported to Central Booking where he is currently awaiting his initial hearing. ARRESTED:  Matthew Greening           AGE:  34           Port Republic, MD CHARGE:  Possession of CDS-Not Marijuana    

On Monday, January 30, 2023 at approximately 9:22 PM, officers of the Cumberland Police Department responded to a business in the 400 block of Virginia Avenue for a male subject causing a disturbance and refusing to leave the property.  Officers contacted the subject who was identified as Charles Fitzgerald.  Police advised Fitzgerald that he needed to leave and he refused.  Fitzgerald was placed under arrest and transported to police headquarters for processing.  He was later seen by a District Court Commissioner and remanded to the Allegany County Detention Center on a $100 bond. ARRESTED:  Charles Edward Fitzgerald      AGE:  68            Cumberland, MD CHARGES:  Disturbing the…