On Tuesday, December 27th, 2022, the Cumberland City Police arrested Michael Gage Butler, 27, of Cumberland MD. Butler was arrested on two active Bench Warrants issued by the Allegany County Circuit Court on October 14th, 2022. The warrants alleged that Butler failed to follow the terms and conditions of probation that stemmed from previous CDS Possession charges. Butler was remanded to the Allegany County Detention Center where he is currently being held without bond. Arrested: Michael Gage Butler Age: 27 Charges: Bench Warrant – Violation of Probation x2

On Tuesday, December 27th, 2022, the Cumberland City Police arrested Lazaya Christine Lee, 19, and Makenna Grace Williams, 19, both of Cumberland MD. Both were arrested on an active Arrest Warrants issued by the Allegany County District Court for an incident that occurred December 23rd at a residence in the 100 block of Park St in Frostburg MD. During that incident, it is alleged that Lee and Williams broke into the residence. During the break-in, two victims inside the home were injured after being attacked by an edged weapon. Both were taken before the District Court Commissioner for Initial Appearances….

On Tuesday, December 27th, 2022, the Cumberland City Police arrested Nichole Anne Jones, 32, of Cumberland MD. Jones was arrested an active Arrest Warrant issued by the Allegany County District Court for an incident that occurred on December 10th. During that incident, Officers responded to a Queen City Drive business for the report of a disturbance. It was discovered that Jones entered the store and began yelling and throwing items around the store. She was taken before the District Court Commissioner for her Initial Appearance where she was released on her own personal recognizance. Arrested: Nichole Ann Jones    Age:…

On 12/27/2022, at approximately 1438 hours, Deputies conducted a traffic stop on a white in color BMW traveling Westbound on Interstate 68, near the 50 mile marker. After making contact with the operator, Deputies observed several factors consistent with criminal activity. It was also learned that the operator did not possess a valid driver’s license. While on scene Deputies requested assistance from the Maryland State Police. After arriving on scene, MSP K9 officer Drake was asked to sniff the exterior of the BMW, and gave an alert to the odor of narcotics. A search of the vehicle was conducted, and…

After almost eight years in the planning stages- indications are now that the $15 million funding package for the redesign and renovation of the Downtown Mall has been cobbled together and all systems are go for an early April groundbreaking. In late September bids were opened for the project and they were two million higher than anticipated. Since that time efforts have been made to complete the funding puzzle allowing the project to get underway next spring. The renovations planned for the downtown mall include installing high-capacity broadband fiber and replacing aging infrastructure before reinstalling Baltimore Street through the pedestrian…

Maryland’s Governor-elect Wes Moore says he will use a mantra he learned from his days in the military: “leave no one behind” as a guide for his administration. Moore, a Democrat,  was activated in the Army following the September 11 attacks, and was deployed to Afghanistan from 2005 to 2006. He attained the rank of captain in the 82nd Airborne Division. Moore says spending over a year criss crossing the state and talking to thousands of Marylander’s made it clear to him that not every family is being provided the assistance or services they need… Moore said under his administration no region and no…

In the final meeting for two of its three members, the Maryland Board of Revenue Estimates voted  to increase state revenue projections for fiscal 2023 to $23.74 billion, an uptick of $55.8 million, representing less than one-quarter of one percent of annual revenues. The modest increase for the current fiscal year indicates that revenue collections are generally performing as expected since September’s report, which took a more conservative approach. The more substantial reduction for fiscal 2024 reflects a decrease in capital gains income and unchanged projections in withholding, sales and use, and corporate income taxes, three of the state’s biggest revenue sources….

After serving a total of  46 years in public office,  retiring State Senator George Edwards may have saved the best for last with his sponsorship and successful passage of legislation that will create a $50 million fund to invest in economic growth in Western Maryland over the next four years. Based largely on that achievement as well as his lengthy public service career, Senator Edwards has been named WCBC’s 2022 “Person of the Year”.  The award, patterned after Time Magazine’s “Person of the Year”, has been presented by WCBC since 2002- and  goes to an event or person deemed to…

Downtown Development Commission executive director Melinda Kelleher reports that the Winter Wonderland Window Decorating Contest is going strong but the deadline is fast approaching. The contest  provides an opportunity for downtown businesses in the DDC primary and secondary districts and non-profits, schools/clubs, and organizations to create a window display. The purpose of the event is to decrease vacant store-front windows, enhance existing business windows, and provide opportunities for promotion and awareness of businesses and community groups. A spring contest was held earlier this year and it proved to be a tremendous success… Contest winners will be determined by a public vote which…

The Pirates and left-hander Rich Hill are in agreement on a one-year, $8MM deal, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN. The deal is pending a physical. Hill, 43 in March, has one of the most unique baseball stories. He had some success as a starter early in his career, which began with the Cubs. Back in 2007, he made 32 starts for the Cubbies, tossing 195 innings with a 3.92 ERA. However, injuries and underperformance led to an extended period of struggle for Hill. He didn’t reach 60 MLB innings pitched in any season from 2008 to 2015, often struggling with his health or…