Washington County officials issued a countywide burn ban Monday due to heightened fire danger.  The burn ban prohibits all outdoor burning, according to a county news release. The ban includes, but is not limited to: Campfires Open fire pits Burning of debris and brush Agricultural burns Any other open flame activity that could pose a fire hazard

Allegany County Public Schools has named Pam McDonald as the acting assistant principal at Allegany High School for the remainder of this school year.  McDonald has 20 years experience teaching social studies at Westmar, the Career Center, and Allegany.  She fills the position that had been held by Chuck Moran, now the acting principal at Allegany.

A caller to WCBC’s morning show was concerned about possible cuts to the Allegany County Library System. She wondered why the Edwards Fund was not approached about the situation or the City of Cumberland. The caller made a point to say that the city was able to give funding for homeless services to the Union Rescue Mission and wanted to know the source…     “Somebody put all this money in – I’ve never got an answer for it. For the homeless people who don’t want to do nothing. They don’t want to be educated, they don’t want to work,…

On Monday, March 3rd, 2025 the Cumberland Police Department responded to the area of Calvin Street to assist the Cumberland Fire Department with a check on wellbeing. Several police units as well as the Cumberland Fire Department arrived in the area and cleared the scene to conduct the investigation. The investigation was completed and the determination was that there was no danger to the public.

On Sunday, March 2, 2025 at approximately 3:16 PM, an officer of the Cumberland Police Department conducted a traffic stop on Beall Street at S. Lee Street.  A police K-9 was utilized and alerted to the odor of drugs in the vehicle.  A search was conducted and a passenger, Kevin Kimmell, was found to be in possession of suspected drug paraphernalia.  Kimmell was issued a criminal citation and released pending trial. ARRESTED:  Kevin Lee Kimmell       AGE:  54         Cumberland, MD CHARGES:  CDS: Possess Paraphernalia

A UMBC Institute of Politics poll finds that more than half of Marylanders surveyed think the state is a good or excellent place to raise a family and obtain a good education.  However, 53% added that they would consider moving out of Maryland because it’s not a good place to start a business or retire.   Just 46% of Marylanders say the state is a good or excellent place to find a good-paying job. Overall, Democrats are more positive about the state than Republicans. 

Advocates are praising Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro for winning a lawsuit to restore $2 billion dollars in federal funding for his state. The Trump Administration has frozen federal funding for several key projects. Grants for electric school buses remain frozen. Joanne Kilgour with Ohio Valley Institute cautiously calls the lawsuit a win…     “The economic impact of this funding freeze was immediate and severe. Local contractors had to pause weatherization work. Environment cleanup projects were put on hold. Job-creating initiatives were thrown into chaos.”

On 03/03/2025, at approximately 0221 hours, Deputies with the Allegany County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle traveling on Pratt Street, Luke, Maryland.  Upon making contact with the occupants, Deputies observed several factors consistent with criminal activity.  Furthermore, Deputies learned that the operator of the vehicle was driving on a suspended license. Probable cause to search the vehicle was also established on scene.  During the course of their investigation, Deputies located a quantity of suspected Methamphetamine, and Fentanyl, and Heroin in sufficient quantity to indicate possession with intent to distribute the same. Pursuant to the investigation, Deputies…

On Sunday, March 2, 2025 at approximately 8:05 PM, officers of the Cumberland Police Department responded to a residence on W. Oldtown Rd. for an assault.  Police contacted Braylin Rhodes and Keairra Turner and learned that a mutual assault had occurred.  After further investigation, Rhodes and Turner were placed under arrest and transported to police headquarters.  They were later seen by a District Court Commissioner and remanded to the Allegany County Detention Center without bond. ARRESTED:  Braylin Nasir Rhodes       AGE:  18         Cumberland, MD CHARGES:  Assault-2nd Degree ARRESTED:  Keairra Skye Patience Turner     AGE:  20   …

Last year, the City of Cumberland held the water rate increase for city customers to 20%, knowing the raise was still not enough to cover costs for water service.  Recently Mayor Ray Morriss shared with WCBC one of the reasons for the increases in water rates that will most likely happen again this year within the new city budget…     “Since COVID, we’ve had a 240% increase in the cost of the chemicals that we use to treat our water which obviously is a concern on the cost side for our water treatment facility. That doesn’t look favorable for…