On Monday, February 24, 2025, Officers of the Cumberland Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in the 100 Block of Bedford Street. Pursuant to the Officer’s initial investigation, a police K9 was called to the scene to conduct a free-air sniff of the vehicle which resulted in an alert. A search of the vehicle yielded controlled dangerous substance paraphernalia. The passenger of the vehicle, Brittany Murphy, was placed under arrest for CDS Paraphernalia possession. Murphy was issued a criminal citation and released pending her trial at the Allegany District Court.  Arrest: Brittany Renee Murphy, Age 32, Cumberland,…

On Monday, February 24, 2025, Officers of the Cumberland Police Department responded to a building in the 400 Block of Baltimore Street to assist Cumberland City Code Enforcement with securing a condemned building. Upon arrival, Officers searched the residence to ensure there were no persons inside as there was previously posted signage prohibiting occupation. Officers did locate two males inside the residence who were identified as William Dibuono and Logan Aldrich. Both Dibuono and Aldrich were arrested and issued criminal citations. They were released pending their trials at the Allegany District Court.  Arrest: Logan Ray Aldrich, Age 27, Cumberland, Maryland. …

Matt Miller of the Cumberland Economic Development Corporation told WCBC that there was great response to the Request for Proposals to develop housing along Memorial Avenue where the hospital once stood.  Miller said the response shows people are looking at the area…    “We received 25 interested responders from RFP process. Of those, I would say more than half are very qualified and capable development companies. So that showed interest; we are on people’s radars.” Miller says the next step is working with those companies on a plan, but it comes with a certain amount of financial risk for the…

Governor Wes Moore’s Chief of Staff Fagan Harris testified Monday in the House Public Safety and Administrative Committee on cuts the Department of Legislative Services is recommending in regards to the state’s federal governmental affairs contract.  Harris said the governor’s office concurs that the cut of $480,000 should be made but will instead fund it with savings from unfilled open positions in the administration. Harris said the government affairs program is crucial to keeping billions in funding for facilities like Fort Meade and Aberdeen Proving Ground in place…    “Our kind of strategy here is that we need to bring…

The West Virginia Senate has signed off on a bill allowing religious and philosophical exemptions to the state’s school vaccination requirements. The bill now goes to the House for debate. Governor Jim Justice vetoed a similar bill last year. Delegate Michael Hornby of Berkeley County was raised in Zimbabwe and has seen first-hand the issues that come with avoiding vaccinations…     “The devastating outcomes of these diseases – I’ve seen people walking on their hands, crippled for life. My own brother contracted mumps as a child, which left him unable to have children.

Allegiant Airlines has announced enhanced flight services for spring through fall of 2025 from the Hagerstown Regional Airport.  Key updates include an additional weekly fight to the St. Pete-Clearwater, Florida airport. Flights will now depart on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday starting May 27 through August 12.  May 23rd will see the return of two flights per week to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with an additional two flights each week being added beginning on June 5th.  Allegiant has seen a 10% growth in total flights offered in 2025, many using the airline’s new Boeing 737 aircraft.

The Maryland House of Delegates passed House Bill 424 on Friday. The legislation that has also been introduced in the Senate is designed to expand the authority of the Maryland Prescription Drug Affordability Board.  Currently the board has power to limit the prices of high cost drugs for state and local governments, but the new law would expand that power to all Maryland residents. Several other states have similar boards, but Maryland’s was the first of its kind in the country.

Authorities in Virginia have arrested Jesse Glen Settle, age 38, of Winchester, in connection with a shooting death last week.  Hampshire County officials have said the shooting and killing of Joesi Dominion Martin, age 33, of Capon Bridge, was drug related.  The shooting occurred last Friday night.

The new president of West Virginia University has a top-notch salary coming his way.  Veteran higher education leader Michael T. Benson will earn an $850,000 base salary as the next president of WVU, a high dollar amount that is becoming increasingly common among top university leaders.  Mr. Benson signed a five-year contract with the Morgantown school over the weekend. He will take the helm as WVU’s 27th president this summer.

A Pennsylvania man is dead following an accident on Deep Creek Lake Saturday afternoon.  David T. Linsenbigler, 58, of Greensburg, died after falling into the lake on a utility task vehicle near the Glendale Bridge.  The lake was not totally frozen at the time of the accident.  The operator of the vehicle survived the accident.