A $3.8 billion education plan was adopted unanimously this month, but there’s still more work ahead for the board that approved it to ensure that school officials implement it. The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Accountability and Implementation Board, established by state law to administer the 10-year plan, will send a 185-page document to the governor, General Assembly and all 24 school systems. Now local school officials, with assistance from the Blueprint board and state Department of Education and other state and local agencies, must begin making decisions on how to implement the plan. Wendy Main, who serves as the Allegany County Board…

For her leadership in working to secure more than $142 million worth of investments in the region-  Timi Hadra was honored Wednesday night with The Greater Cumberland Committee's Greater Good award. In a ceremony held at the Cornucopia Café in Grantsville Hadra was designated as the 2022 honoree for the award, which recognizes TGCC members who've gone above and beyond in their dedication to serving the region. Hadra has served the last four years as TGCC chair overseeing major financial commitments to the completion of Route 219; the Cresaptown Imrpovement project; and the impact investing brand program. In addition the…

Wide spread power outages and dozens of accidents on the roadways Thursday- the result of an ice storm that moved through the region overnight Wednesday into Thursday morning. The Cumberland Times News reported that the worst of the issues were in Hampshire County, West Virginia, where more than 8,000 Potomac Edison customers had no electricity at one point. The number fluctuated throughout the day and was at about 6,500 by late afternoon. County officials opened a warming shelter at Romney Fire Company due to the number of outages. The precipitation started to fall early Thursday across the region and most…

Allegany College of Maryland is proud to host the inaugural Franchise Classic Basketball Tournament coined after NBA All-Star, NBA Co-Rookie of the Year, University of Maryland stand out, former JUCO All American, and ACM Trojans men’s basketball player, Steve Francis. This Saturday, December 17th, 2022 the first of a four-game classic tournament starts at 1:30 pm. A Variety of Competitive Basketball. Local high school boys’ basketball teams will be guests at The Bob Kirk Arena set to tip off Saturday, December 17th at 1:30pm. Fort Hill High School Sentinels Boys Basketball (Cumberland, Md.) will match up against Broadfording Academy Lions…

West Virginia has lifted its hiring freeze for the agency that runs the state's foster care system and will offer bonuses for youth social service workers and other positions. Governor Jim Justice Justice also issued an executive order allowing retired Department of Health and Human Resources employees to come back to work on a limited basis while still drawing their full retirement. Child protective services workers, worker trainees and youth social service workers will receive $5,000 if they sign onto a one-year employment contract to work in Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan counties. Meanwhile, DHHR is working to implement a consulting…

The new board of Allegany County Commissioners were officially sworn in to office in brief ceremonies at the start of Thursday’s public meeting. Outgoing Commissioner Jake Shade opened the meeting and then introduced Clerk of Court Dawne Lindsey to administer the oath of office to incumbents David Caporale and Creade Brodie Jr and newcomer Bill Atkinson. Caporale, by unanimous vote, was appointed president… Commissioners Atkinson and Brodie echoed those sentiments…  

Although he won’t be around to see if it comes to fruition, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan on Thursday outlined his Fiscal Year 2024 budget recommendations. With his second term coming to an end in just a few weeks, Hogan’s budget plan will basically serve as a suggestion to incoming Governor Wes Moore. In a press conference providing budget details, Hogan said although Democrats will be in control for the next four years, he hopes that they continue to follow the fiscal path his administration has utilized in the past 8 years…

As a result of the less than ideal conditions, all Allegany County Public Schools will be on a two-hour delay Friday. All Mornining pre-k classes are canceled and no breakfast will be served. Garrett County public schools are on a two-hour delay for Friday. Learning tree pre school will open at 10 am Friday. Bedford area schools on a two hour delay. Allegany College of Maryland will open at 10 am Friday. 

 Wide spread power outages and dozens of accidents on the roadways Thursday- the result of an ice storm that moved through the region overnight Wednesday into Thursday morning. The Cumberland Times News reported that the worst of the issues were in Hampshire County, West Virginia, where more than 8,000 Potomac Edison customers had no electricity at one point. The number fluctuated throughout the day and was at about 6,500 by late afternoon. County officials opened a warming shelter at Romney Fire Company due to the number of outages. The precipitation started to fall early Thursday across the region and most…

In the final meeting for two of its three members, the Maryland Board of Revenue Estimates (BRE) voted today to increase state revenue projections for Fiscal Year 2023 to $23.74 billion, an uptick of $55.8 million that represents less than one-quarter of 1 percent of annual revenues. The Board, which consists of Comptroller Peter Franchot, Treasurer Dereck Davis and Budget Secretary David Brinkley, also lowered revenue projections for Fiscal Year 2024 to $25.1 billion, a decrease of $166.8 million from the forecast approved in September. The slight increase for the current fiscal year shows that revenue collections are generally performing…