On 7/23/2022 at approximately 10:00 AM the Cumberland City Police Department were dispatched to the single digit block of Valley Street for a suspicious person in a vehicle. Upon arrival officers contacted Jared Nathaniel Citarelli. A police K-9 was requested and alerted to the odor of Controlled Dangerous Substances (CDS) in the vehicle. A probable cause search was conducted and a quantity of suspected Fentanyl and drug paraphernalia were recovered from the vehicle. Mr. Citarelli was placed under arrest and transported to the police station. Mr. Citarelli received an initial appearance before a District Court Commissioner and was released…

Governor Larry Hogan and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced the award of $18.8 million to 22 ecological restoration projects that will improve water quality and habitat in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, while building local resilience to climate impacts. These awards encompass 77 unique sites that will be restored using best management practices, including riparian buffer and reforestation plantings, stream restoration, stormwater management, and wetland creation. “Our administration’s commitment to environmental stewardship has included making record investments in Chesapeake Bay restoration, and fully funding the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund,” said Governor Hogan. “Each of…

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced that the 2021 underwater grass abundance in Maryland’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay remained stable compared to the previous year, with a slight decrease of 1%, or 350 acres. Baywide, underwater grasses increased by 7%. Despite record high rainfall and stream flows in 2018 and 2019, long-term monitoring by DNR has identified major reductions in polluted runoff entering the Bay as a result of Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay restoration activities. These improving trends in cleaner water provide multiple benefits including being beneficial to the Bay’s underwater grasses.  Substantial underwater grass increases have occurred in areas with…

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) reports as of July 22, 2022, there are currently 3,358 active COVID-19 cases statewide. There were no deaths reported to DHHR over the last 24 hours, and total deaths remain at 7,121 attributed to COVID-19.    CURRENT ACTIVE CASES PER COUNTY: Barbour (18), Berkeley (180), Boone (57), Braxton (16), Brooke (19), Cabell (170), Calhoun (8), Clay (15), Doddridge (9), Fayette (115), Gilmer (11), Grant (19), Greenbrier (68), Hampshire (36), Hancock (31), Hardy (34), Harrison (143), Jackson (42), Jefferson (86), Kanawha (344), Lewis (31), Lincoln (37), Logan (82), Marion (112), Marshall…

Once again, COVID rates are creeping upward in Allegany County and across the State of Maryland.  Allegany, along with ten other Maryland jurisdictions, is now classified by the CDC as having a “medium” COVID community level.  Only two Maryland jurisdictions are currently classified as having “high” COVID community levels:  Garrett and Howard Counties.  Eleven Maryland jurisdictions remain in the “low” classification.   Public health recommendations for areas with medium community transmission levels include the following: If you are at high risk for severe illness, talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to wear a mask and take other precautions…

As applications for Maryland Wear and Carry Permits continue to be received in unprecedented numbers, the Maryland Department of State Police (MDSP) Licensing Division is issuing the following information to help applicants navigate through the online application process on the Licensing Portal.   Pursuant to the recent Supreme Court ruling, on July 5, 2022 Governor Larry Hogan directed the Maryland State Police to suspend the ‘good and substantial reason’ standard to wear, carry or transport a regulated firearm on your person. Before you may legally wear and carry a regulated firearm, you must possess, and maintain on your person at…

Despite several high-profile and contentious races, it appeared voter turnout for this year's Maryland primary was low. The State Board of Elections on the day after the election said its unofficial vote tally showed that fewer than one in five eligible voters cast ballots in person either during the eight-day early voting period or on primary day. The turnout, not including mail-ins and absentee ballots stood at 17.1%. While Allegany County’s turnout was under 20%, Garrett County was among the highest in the state with 32.6%

Thursday’s count of the mail-in and absentee ballots has led to a change in position in the Cumberland City Council race- with candidate Mary Conlon jumping into the second spot, just one vote ahead of James Furstenberg and pushing Councilman Joe George to the fourth and final position. There were 7 candidates on the primary  ballot with the top four advancing to the November general election- fighting for two open city council seats. Richard “Rock” Cioni remains in the top spot with 1,422 votes- easily outdistancing all others in the race.  At the end of the night Tuesday, after the…

On July 21st, 2022 officers of the Cumberland Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle on Queen City Drive. Officers contacted the operator, Higinio Lopez and two passengers. Officers observed criminal indicators and requested a K-9 to scan the vehicle.  The K-9 indicated a positive alert and after a subsequent search officers located a quantity of crystal methamphetamine on Lopez’s person. Lopez was placed under arrest and later released on a Criminal Citation pending his trial at District Court.   Arrest: Higinio Aguilar Lopez, age 37, Columbus OH. Charge: Possession not Marijuana.

On July 21st, 2022 officers of the Cumberland Police Department responded to a report of a reckless driver and motor vehicle crash. A concerned citizen advised they observed a vehicle driving recklessly and had followed it to the area of Luteman Road when the vehicle crashed into them. Officers arrived on scene and contacted the operator of the suspect vehicle, Henry Dias. Officers observed evidence of impairment and requested Dias to perform standardized field sobriety tests. During the tests the officers observed additional evidence of impairment and subsequently placed him under arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol. The…