Gov. Jim Justice today announced the preliminary approval of $6 million in grant funding for two massive broadband infrastructure projects – spanning Kanawha, Jackson, and Lincoln counties – through the Line Extension Advancement and Development (LEAD) program. The LEAD program is a branch of Gov. Justice’s Billion-Dollar Broadband Strategy – a plan to invest over $1 billion in state and federal funds to make broadband connectivity available for the first time to 200,000 West Virginia homes and businesses. Today’s announcement marks the third round of grants awarded through the LEAD program. The approved projects will result in approximately 768 miles of new…

Governor Hogan is scheduled to appear on the following program 9:00 AM Sunday: Governor Hogan will appear on ABC's This Week with Jonathan Karl.  Check your local listings for specific airtimes.

On August 13, 2022 Officers were dispatched to a business on Industrial Blvd., Cumberland Maryland for a theft complainant. The store employee notified Officers that a male subject removed cell phone cases without paying. The subject was identified as Johnny Lee Parks. Parks stated that he did not want to pay the amount he was charged. Officers searched Mr. Parks bags and located numerous other stolen items. Theses items included stolen Credit/debit cards belonging to other individuals. The individuals were contacted and they advised that the items were removed from their vehicles. Parks is currently awaiting a bond hearing at…

On August 13, 2022 Cumberland Police Officers were dispatched to the 500 Block on N. Centre Street for a two-vehicle accident. The investigation revealed that the operator of the at fault vehicle was impaired. The driver Richard Kendall Collins was charged with DUI and numerous traffic related citations. Collins was written and released from Police headquarters. Arrest: Richard Kendall Collins, 34, Cumberland Charges: Driving vehicle while under the influence of alcohol PER SE, Driving veh. While impaired by alcohol, Driving vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, Failure to control Veh. Speed on Hwy. to avoid collision, Driver fail to…

Pinto Water Utility has issued a boil water notice for the next 48 hours for all Pinto customers due to e coli bacteria being found in the water system. Boiled our bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes and food preparation until further notice. Boiling kills the bacteria and other organisms in the water.  Pinto Water Utility continues to flush the system and additional testing to check for the bacteria is being performed. General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by bacteria and other diseas causing organisms are available from the…

The state School Building Authority is putting the brakes for now on its annual meeting to fund school construction projects in the state because of the continued impact of high construction costs. The authority decided Thursday to cancel its December quarterly meeting where those funding decisions are normally made. According to SBA Chairman Brian Abraham, the authority wants to take a wait and see attitude after seeing the impact of inflation on building costs during the past several months.    

While current Maryland Governor Larry Hogan is not too hot on Del. Dan Cox, his party’s nominee to be the next executive of the state, a previous GOP governor is singing a different tune. Robert Ehrlich, the governor from 2003 to 2007, has endorsed Cox and is trying to unite a divided Republican party behind his candidacy. Hogan, meanwhile, has said he will not vote for Cox.

About 135 million more doses of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine from a troubled Baltimore factory will have to be destroyed due to quality problems- that is according to Congressional panel leaders. The announcement follows a report in May that detailed how more than 400 million vaccine doses made at an Emergent BioSolutions plant had to be trashed. The doses more recently slated for destruction were made between August 2021 and February, the House members said. Johnson & Johnson said in a statement Thursday that no doses produced at the site since the factory restarted have reached the market, and it was…

WBAL reports greater transparency is needed before Maryland settles on any eligibility requirements regarding who can serve on local police accountability boards.  Advocates criticized regulations proposed by the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission for police accountability boards and administrative charging committees — part of sweeping police reforms approved last year by the Maryland General Assembly. Members of the Maryland Coalition for Justice and Police Accountability held a news conference in front of the State House to urge the legislature’s Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive, and Legislative Review to call a public hearing to give the public to chance to…