Longtime public information officer for the Allegany County Board of Education Mia Perlozzo Cross is leaving that post after 16 years-  and will soon begin a new career in a similar capacity at Frostburg State University. Mia, who has been with the Board of Education since 2007, says her last official day will be January 10th.  When the school board was experiencing a budget crunch a few years ago- there had been some  speculation that the P.I.O. position could be eliminated as a cost savings measure. . Board vice-president Robert Farrell said the job is vitally important and any such move…

The swearing-in ceremony for the newly elected Cumberland City Council members was held before a large crowd of family, friends and supporters Tuesday afternoon in the City Hall Rotunda. Dawne Lindsey, clerk of the Circuit Court, officiated and Judge Jeffrey Getty served as master of ceremonies. Cumberland Mayor Raymond Morriss, who ran unopposed, was sworn in for a second four-year term. City Council election-winners Richard “Rock” Cioni and James Furstenberg also took the oath of office for four-year terms. Mayor Morriss said while his first term was not without it’s challenges, there were major in roads made on a number…

The man suspected of fatally shooting a Pennsylvania police chief and wounding another officer in confrontations during a foot pursuit near Pittsburgh was killed by police after a chase, authorities said. The officers were shot blocks apart Monday in Brackenridge, an Allegheny County town northeast of Pittsburgh. The suspect carjacked a vehicle, and when Pittsburgh detectives later spotted it, he fled, Allegheny County Police Superintendent Christopher Kearns said. The suspect crashed the vehicle after a car chase, ran into a wooded area and then toward a housing development, and fired at the pursuing detectives, who returned fire and killed him Monday evening,…

A Maryland man who admitted stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from a southern West Virginia resort where he was the maintenance director has been sentenced to two years and three months in federal prison. Dhanraj Singh, 62, of Bowie, Maryland, also paid back more than $382,000 that he admitted to embezzling from the resort, U.S. Attorney Will Thompson said in a news release. The statement did not name the resort. WBAL reports that from 2017 until July 2020, Singh submitted fake invoices that either requested reimbursement for maintenance work that never occurred or inflated the cost of work performed, according to…

Governor Larry Hogan today announced $100 million in state funding through the Maryland’s Final FY 2023-2028 Consolidated Transportation Program to advance the I-81 Phase 2 project in Washington County into construction. The I-81 Phase 2 project has long been a top priority for Western Maryland and will support economic and job growth, improve safety, ease congestion, and reinforce supply chain reliability for Maryland and the entire region. “Our administration has been committed to making these transformative improvements to the I-81 corridor from day one, because it is such a critical economic lifeline for the communities and businesses of Western Maryland,…

On 01/02/2023 the Cumberland City Police Department served an Arrest Warrant on William Thorne IV. Thorne was wanted from an assault which occurred in the 600 block of East First Street on 12/25/2022. During that incident Thorne is alleged to have strangled the victim and not allow them to leave. The victim received medical treatment at a later date and that is when law enforcement was notified of the assault. Thorne was taken to the Allegany County Detention Center for central booking. Thorne appeared before a District Court Commissioner and was held on a $5,000.00 bond. Arrested – William Thorne…

On 12/31/2022 at approximately 5:30 PM the Cumberland City Police were dispatched to the 500 block of Shriver Avenue for an assault. Upon arrival the complainant advised that Maliq Shyheim McCauley had thrown coffee on them and left the area. An application of charges was submitted to the District Court Commissioner and a Criminal Summons was issued. On 01/02/2023 the Criminal Summons was served on McCauley. McCauley is free pending trial in District Court. Served – Maliq Shyheim McCauley (28) Cumberland, MD Charge – Assault 2nd Degree

Allegany County Sheriff’s Deputies had completed a lengthy investigation into the whereabouts of Austin Harrison; a person with numerous warrants for his arrest, which include felony charges of 2nd Degree Attempted Murder, Robbery, 1st Degree Assault and others. Austin Harrison is known to have a stolen handgun in his possession and is currently considered to be armed and dangerous. Austin Harrison had successfully fled from West Virginia authorities earlier on this date. The deputies investigation revealed that Jennifer Miller of Barton was currently with Austin Harrison and she had taken him into a nearby residence where he could remain undetected….

The deadline to submit an application to secure economic development dollars under the newly created Senator George Edwards Legacy Fund is January 31st.  Matt Miller, executive director of the Cumberland Economic Development Corporation, said last week that three applications have already been received.  The fund was established by the Maryland General Assembly in 2022 by allocating $50 million for economic development in Allegany, Garrett and Washington counties. Allocations include $20 million for 2023 followed by $10 million per year for three additional years. The application process opened last month. The funding will focus on infrastructure improvements and business development. The…

Western Maryland saw some of the highest percentage increases in residential property values in the state's latest reassessment. Maryland property values jumped 20.6% over the last three years amid the pandemic's strong market, the largest increase in recent years. Property owners have already started receiving their reassessments in the mail. While residential property values increased in all counties and Baltimore city for the fifth consecutive year, Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation Director Michael Higgs noted increases were substantially higher than state averages on the Eastern Shore and in parts of Western Maryland. Western Maryland counties account for three of…