West Virginia Governor Jim Justice has been elected chairman of the Southern Regional Education Board- and he intends to make dealing with learning loss resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, a priority.  Justice will lead the group's 80-member board that includes governors, legislators and state education leaders working to improve public education at every level. The SREB region covers 16 states including Maryland.  Justice, who was not a fan of virtual learning programs as a replacement for in-school instruction,  said it is definitely a concern that needs to be addressed…

Just before the July 4th holiday weekend- Maryland's gas tax jumped  seven cents a gallon higher  due to a 2013 law that ties the state’s gas tax to inflation. The state's gas tax increased from 36 cents to 43 cents by the legislative mandate. House Republicans in Annapolis called on the Maryland General Assembly to come back into a special session to halt the gas tax collections for the rest of the year. House and Senate leadership have refused to call a special session, noting action is needed on the federal not state level to lower gas prices. Senate President Bill Ferguson maintains…

Controlled Dangerous Substance Arrest   On July 2, 2022 officers of the Cumberland Police Department conducted a traffic stop. Officer’s identified the driver as, Joseph Allen Edmonson. Officers then observed suspected marijuana and a suspected meth pipe in plain view. Mr. Edmonson received a criminal citation and was released from the scene. Arrest: Joseph Allen Edmonson, age 57, Cumberland Maryland. Charges: Possession of drug paraphernalia.   Arrest Warrant Served   On July 2, 2022 an arrest warrant for failure to appear was served on Robert W. Ware. The original charges were for failure to remain at the scene of an…

Maryland’s waterways are expected to be crowded this weekend, and officials from federal, state, and local law enforcement and water rescue are working to make sure the fun is not mixed with tragedy. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources joined with the U.S. Coast Guard and Anne Arundel County Fire Department to send this message during a news conference June 29 at Sandy Point State Park. The Maryland Natural Resources Police also announced plans for its annual participation in Operation Dry Water, a nationally coordinated effort to educate boaters about the dangers of boating while under the influence of alcohol…

    Controlled Dangerous Substance Arrest   On July 1, 2022 an Officer of the Cumberland Police Department observed a drug transaction between a male and female subject. The Officer witnessed a transaction of currency in exchange for a small plastic bag of suspected CDS. The female was contacted and was identified as Brittany Nicole Miller. Miller advised the Officers that she had marijuana and prescription medication in her possession. Miller was holding the currency in her hand when she was contacted. During the investigation it was determined that Miller sold prescription medication to the male subject for $100.00. Miller…

Effective July 6, all Allegany County Health Department COVID-19 vaccinations will be given on Wednesdays at the health department on Willowbrook Road in Cumberland.  Vaccinations for those age 12 and older will be given from 9 a.m. to noon in the ground floor Community Room.  Vaccinations for children ages 5 to 11 will be given on the first floor from 3 to 4:30 p.m.  Pre-registration is preferred, and appointments can be scheduled through the ACHD web site at health.maryland.gov/allegany.   “The health department would like to thank Allegany County Government and Allegany County Fairgrounds director Kevin Kammauff for allowing us…

The Cumberland Times News reports  a Mineral County judge has granted the town of Ridgeley use of land over which they had been sparring with the Ridgeley Volunteer Fire Department. Circuit Court Judge James Courrier ruled Tuesday that upon paying $112,650 to be distributed to the fire department, the town will be "permitted at once to enter upon, take possession of, appropriate and use" the piece of land that formerly housed Ridgeley High School and was demolished to make way for a new fire station. The town and department split the cost of demolition of the old school, as the site was…

WBAL reports there are new laws going into effect in Maryland starting July 1. They include the Elijah Gorham Act, named after the Mervo High School student who died after a head injury during a football game. The act requires all Maryland public middle and high schools to have venue-specific emergency action plans and coordination of care for other emergent injuries.  Earlier this year, Baltimore City Public Schools said it will hire more athletic trainers, add a new position to enhance health and safety practices, train more coaches and athletes in the areas of heat stroke and traumatic brain injury…

According to the medical examiner, the cause of death for Baltimore Ravens' outside linebacker Jaylon Ferguson has been revealed. Ferguson died from the combined effects of fentanyl and cocaine, according to Bruce Goldfrab, a spokesman for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. WBAL reports  Goldfrab said the manner of death has been ruled an accident. “Our priority is focused on the man Jaylon was and the positive impact he made on so many as a father, son, fiancé, friend and teammate," reads a statement from Patrick Gleason, Vice President of Public Relations." It would be inappropriate for us to comment further while we continue…

The City of Cumberland Engineering Department, on behalf of Ameri-Seal LLC, would like to notify the public that beginning on Tuesday, July 5, at approximately 7:00 am, portions of Prospect Square will be closed around the Circuit Court Building to allow for the road to be paved. Construction is expected to last through Friday, July 9 depending on the weather. The road will remain closed until construction is complete.   The closure is necessary to allow the roadway to be reconstructed, as a result of the water main break on June 10.    Parking on Prospect Square, adjacent to the Circuit…