National Jet Receives Maryland Manufacturing Grant
The National Jet Company in LaVale was one of 43 Maryland mid-sized businesses to receive grants through the Maryland Manufacturing 4.0 program. The initiative provides grant money to invest in advanced technologies. National Jet received over $60,000 from the $5 million dollar program. They plan to use the funds for a CNC turning center, magazine bar feed and a rota-rack for fabricating custom micro-drilled machine parts.
Cemetery Organization Highlights Monuments to Soldiers and Freed Slave
The Cumberland Historic Cemetery Organization is highlighting two local monuments available to visit during Black History month. Both are located in Sumner Cemetery on Yale Street. One is a monument to six black Union Civil War Soldiers telling their history. Another, according to CHCO President Ed Taylor, Jr is the first monument west of Frederick to honor a freed slave… “Her name was Critty Powell. We have a lot of history engraved on the monument that tells about this lady. We were lucky, through descendants of Critty, to get a 1910 black and white tintype copy of a photo…
Maryland Graduation Rates Are Up
The Maryland State Department of Education has announced that the state’s high school graduation rate for the 2023-2024 school year has reached over 87%, marking the highest level since 2017. This represents an increase of 1.8 percentage points from the previous year. The Allegany County graduation rate stood at 87.6% for 2024.
Cumberland Featured on CBS Evening News
The city of Cumberland's program to entice new homeowners to buy property has drawn the attention of national media. CBS Evening News spent over three minutes Monday detailing the financial incentive of $20,000 Cumberland offered to attract new residents. The feature was part of "Eye on America" with correspondent Nancy Chen. Interviews with Mayor Ray Morriss, Dave Caporale, and Gus Caporale were part of the report. The feature is available on youtube.
Warrants Served
On Tuesday, February 25, 2025, Officers of the Cumberland Police Department served multiple bench warrants on Dakota Wolfe which were issued as a result of her failures to appear in court. Wolfe was located and placed under arrest. She was transported to the Allegany County Detention Center where she awaits her appearance before a District Court Commissioner. Arrest: Dakota Shabrea Wolfe, Age 19, Keyser, West Virgina. Charges: Violation of Probation, Theft Less Than $100 (x2) (FTA), Disorderly Conduct (FTA), Fail to Obey (FTA). ***Warrant Arrest*** On Tuesday, February 25, 2025, Officers of the Cumberland Police Department served a bench…
Data Analytics Field Growing
Allegany College of Maryland continues to highlight Career and Technical Education Month in February. One of the growing programs at the college is Data Analytics. Autumn Becker who directs the Western Maryland IT Center of Excellence at ACM, tells WCBC the field involves taking different types of data and analyzing it to develop practical solutions to business problems. She says it is a fast growing field with a variety of career options… “The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts about 10,000 openings for research analysts projected every year on average over the next decade, so lots of opportunity.”
Two Held On Grand Jury Indictments
Two New Jersey individuals are being held at the Allegany County Detention Center on Grand Jury indictments. Ernest Counsill, 43 of Blackwood, NJ, (previously of Rock Hill, South Carolina) was served a Circuit Court Grand Jury Indictment for 3 counts of CDS Possession With Intent to Distribute Narcotics and 3 counts of CDS Possession-Not Cannabis. Jaime Acosta, 30 of Brigantine, NJ, was served a Circuit Court Grand Jury Indictment for 3 counts of CDS Possession With Intent to Distribute Narcotics and 3 counts of CDS Possession-Not Cannabis.
Radio Co-Host, Chef Passes Away
Robert “Kevin” Adams passed away February 19th in Grantsboro, North Carolina. He was 66 years old. Adams for many years was a co-host along with Doc Webster on WCBC’s “What’s Cookin’ With Doc” program. Adams helped to re-open the Old Depot in Frostburg and also the downtown Cumberland location of Yoder’s Country Market. He also served as Director of the Allegany County Visitors Bureau. He was previously the Executive Chef at Southern Wesleyan University. Cotton Funeral Home in New Bern, North Carolina is in charge of arrangements.
East Industrial Boulevard CDS arrest
On Tuesday, February 25, 2025, Officers of the Cumberland Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in the area of East Industrial Boulevard. 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 operator of the vehicle, Kenyatta Wilson, was placed under arrest for CDS Paraphernalia possession. Wilson was issued a criminal citation along with traffic citations and released pending his trial at the Allegany District Court. Arrest: Kenyatta S….