The full Maryland congressional delegation, including U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin, Andy Harris, M.D., and David Trone, recently called on U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra to select Maryland as the permanent home for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), a new agency proposed by President Biden to improve the U.S. government’s ability to speed biomedical and health research. 

The House is set to vote on a bill Tuesday that would codify same-sex marriage into federal law – the move coming in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade last month, after which Justice Clarence Thomas announced the court should "reconsider" its past rulings on rights to contraception access, same-sex relationships and same-sex marriage. Thomas, in his concurrence to Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, the decision that struck down Roe v. Wade, wrote that the Supreme Court should reconsider decisions involving a constitutional right to privacy that guarantees fundamental rights – including same-sex…

On Monday, July 18, 2022, the Cumberland Police Department served a criminal summons on James Langway.  The summons was issued in connection with a destruction of property investigation that began on July 11, 2022.  On this date, officers of the Cumberland Police Department responded to a shopping plaza on E. Oldtown Rd. for a dumpster fire.  The Cumberland Fire Department extinguished the fire and police began checking the area.  Officers observed damage to the businesses and litter scattered throughout the parking lot.  Through further investigation, James Langway was identified as the suspect.  The arson investigation was handled by the State…

On Monday, July 18, 2022 at approximately 5:14 PM, officers of the Cumberland Police Department responded to the Park & Ride along Rt. 220 for a disturbance.  Police contacted a male subject in a vehicle.  He advised that a female had run into the woods.  An officer observed Deanna Shears in the woods.  The officer contacted Shears who reported that she had gotten into a verbal argument with the male subject in the vehicle.  Officers observed numerous pills and paraphernalia in the vehicle in plain view.  A search of the vehicle was conducted.  Additional CDS and CDS paraphernalia was located.  …

The field of candidates will narrow considerably following Maryland’s primary election today. Statewide there are races for governor, comptroller and attorney general- while locally the District One State Senate race; Allegany County Commissioners; Board of Education and the Cumberland City Council are all on the ballot. Races for Allegany County clerk of the Circuit Court, register of wills, sheriff, state's attorney; Cumberland mayor; and House District 1B all feature candidates who are running unopposed. Other contested races include Judge of Orphan’s Court as well as House of and Delegates 1A. Maryland’s Sixth District Congressional race features four Democrats including incumbent David…

An endorsement from retiring state senator George Edwards was highly sought after by both Republicans seeking to replace him in Maryland’s General Assembly- and in the waning hours before the election- that endorsement has come. While Edwards last month announced that he is “supporting” County Commissioner Jake Shade in his race against Delegate Mike Mckay- he stopped short of offering an official endorsement. That has now changed with a robo call featuring Edward’s endorsement…

Demand is surging for concealed carry permits in Maryland in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that Americans have a right to carry firearms in public for self-defense. The Washington Post reports that Maryland State Police say they’ve received 11 times the usual number of permit applications to carry a gun. The surge comes after Governor Larry Hogan’s order to bring the state in line with the high court’s ruling on June 23. That spike includes Allegany County where a Maryland State Trooper confirmed that demand locally is on the rise.  Maryland firearms dealers have said that customers have been calling and visiting…

West Virginia lawmakers are taking aim at how decisions are made — top to bottom — in the state’s public schools. Legislators passed a resolution in March that would put a constitutional amendment on the ballot giving them final say over statewide education policies. That would include decisions about curriculum, typically left to the state Board of Education. All this is happening while there are serious problems facing West Virginia’s schools, which continue to rank among the lowest in the country. Teachers and students face a wide variety of challenges that make everyday learning difficult. Governor Jim Justice said when it comes…

More Maryland residents are just one click away from faster and more reliable internet service. Last week, the state received  a $95 million federal grant to help families and students get online. During the critical stages of the coronavirus pandemic, Maryland students had to leave school and learn from home. For many, there was a problem, access to the internet. To help solve that issue, the federal government has set aside an additional $10 billion to help states like Maryland carry out technology projects. WBAL reports that in this latest round of funding, Maryland is getting $95 million to help…

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey decried a circuit court judge’s decision to grant a preliminary injunction against a West Virginia abortion law that has been on the books for more than 100 years.   As a result, abortions are once again able to be performed in the Mountain State.   “This is a dark day for West Virginia,” Attorney General Morrisey said. “We will appeal this decision to the Supreme Court of Appeals as soon as legally possible. As a strong pro-life advocate, I am committed to protecting unborn babies to the fullest extent possible under the law, and I…