The new year will bring with it new faces to local and statewide offices, with several inaugural ceremonies scheduled in the weeks ahead. The first events will be on Tuesday, featuring a couple of new prosecutors. Anthony Brown, the state attorney general-elect, will be sworn into office in Annapolis. Ivan Bates will take the oath as the new city state's attorney in downtown Baltimore In about two weeks, Democrat Brooke Lierman, who won the state comptroller's race, will take the oath to oversee the state's finances. That same week,  Democrat Wes Moore will be sworn at The Maryland State House, becoming Maryland's…

Maryland's largest union representing state employees announced they've reached an agreement with Gov. Larry Hogan's administration for a wage increase. WBAL reports AFSCME Maryland Council 3 announced they've reached an agreement with the outgoing Hogan administration on a wage increase package for its members. The agreement guaranteed a step increase in the upcoming fiscal year beginning on July 1. AFSCME said the increase is just the beginning because it does not keep place with inflation. The union pointed to a record high vacancy of almost 8,000 positions as a good enough reason for the state to invest more in recruiting…

On Sunday, January 1st, 2022, the Cumberland City Police responded to a residence in the 400 block of Columbia St for a harassment complaint. Once on scene, Officers contacted the victim of the alleged harassment. It was learned that the victim had filed for a Protective Order due to issues with a past domestic partner. On this night, that subject came to the victim’s home and attempted to make contact with them. The subject, Jerry Lee Hemming, 46, of Cumberland MD, was located a short distance away from the victim’s home and taken into custody without incident. He was taken…

On Sunday, January 1st, 2023, the Cumberland City Police arrested Carrie Anne Parker, 45, of Cumberland MD. Parker was arrested on two active Bench Warrants issued by the Allegany County District Court on December 2nd, 2022. The warrants allege that Parker violated the terms and conditions of probation that stemmed from a previous DUI charge. After being taken into custody, she was transported to Central Booking for processing. Upon her intake, she was discovered to be in possession of a quantity of suspected fentanyl and cocaine. During her Initial Appearance, Parker was remanded to the Allegany County Detention Center where…

On Sunday, January 1st, 2023, the Cumberland City Police responded to a business in the 200 block of Valley St. for the report of a large disturbance. When officers arrived on scene, they observed numerous subjects involved in a large altercation outside the business. Officers were able to intervene and disperse the majority of the participants without incident. One subject however, continued to be disruptive after repeated requests for him to cease. His disruptive behavior continued to escalate which resulted in his arrest. Justin Michael Linn, 33, of Cumberland MD, was taken into custody and taken to police headquarters for…

Please review the following important information concerning school bus numbers and route changes, which will take effect beginning on Tuesday, January 3, 2023: Northeast Elementary and Allegany High Bus #55 will replace Bus #54 effective Tuesday, January 3, 2023.   Mountain Ridge Bus #87 will be replaced by Bus #92. Mountain Ridge Bus #94 will be replaced by Bus #87. Mountain Ridge/Westmar Bus #92 will be replaced by Bus #54. Mountain Ridge/Mt. Savage Bus #100 will be replaced by Bus #93. Mt. Savage Bus #93 will be replaced by Bus #100. Beall Elementary Bus #100 will be replaced by Bus…

On January 1, 2023, the Maryland State Police in McHenry received a phone call for a possible road rage incident. The preliminary investigation revealed that a blue 2004 Dodge Ram 3500 was traveling East on Maryland Highway in the area of Glass Drive. The operator of the Dodge Ram observed a vehicle approaching his vehicle at a high rate of speed from the rear. The unknown vehicle passed him striking his driver side mirror. After the vehicle passed, the suspect vehicle brake checked the victim causing the Dodge Ram to hit the rear of the suspect’s vehicle. The victim passed…

Calls by West Virginia’s electric utilities over the Christmas weekend asking residents to conserve power during the record-breaking cold snap left Gov. Jim Justice seeing red. The company which manages the electric grid for West Virginia and 12 other states plus Washington, D.C., issued a call for customers in the service area to curtail non-essential use of electric in response to an increased load on the grid due to a blast of Arctic air plunging outdoor temperature below zero. Speaking during a virtual COVID-19 briefing with reporters from the State Capitol Building, Justice pointed to the Christmas weekend grid issues…

Efforts are continuing to enhance security downtown.  Last summer  Cumberland Economic Development Corporation  Executive Director Matt Miller announced the receipt of $95,400 from the state Department of Housing and Community Development's Community Safety Works grant program to be used for surveillance equipment. Miller said the funds "will cover costs for cameras, computer equipment, monitors, communication equipment, video recorders and labor." Additionally, the funding will provide Ring doorbell cameras to interested downtown business owners. Those cameras will prove particularly useful for providing "added camera angles and visibility at storefront levels at as many storefronts as possible, and will be helpful during…

Retiring State Senator George Edwards says although Donald Trump was not at the top of his list of preferred presidential candidates back in 2016- and he didn’t agree with how he handled himself in office- he would vote for him again if he is the Republican nominee in 2024. Edwards, stepping down from office after serving 40 years in the Maryland General Assembly  was asked about the split in the GOP and for his thoughts on the Trump presidency… Despite those concerns, he said he could see himself casting a vote for Trump if he heads the party in the…