Allegany Arts Council Executive Director Julie Westendorff announced this week that a new grant will help fund three seasons’ worth of outdoor concerts at Canal Place. On Tuesday details of the receipt of a $90,000 grant from the Los Angeles-based Levitt Foundation, which offers funds for free concert programs nationally, were presented. Beginning next year the grant will make possible ten concerts a year through 2025.  Cumberland was one of 15 cities selected following a  public voting contest this year ultimately helped place the city in the top 10 after it was named among 36 finalists. Cumberland Mayor Ray Morriss…

Republicans are still reeling from what many view as a major mid term failure in last week’s election- and those anxieties may have just increased with former President Donald Trump formally announcing that he will be a candidate once again in 2024. Another possible presidential candidate, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, said it is clear that the GOP needs to move beyond Trump and move in a different direction. He says it was obvious that the Trump endorsed election denier candidates, including Maryland Gubernatorial candidate Dan Cox,  is what cost the party this go around…

Gov. Jim Justice today reminded hunters that West Virginia’s buck firearms season will start Monday, Nov. 21 and that they need to purchase their license and deer stamps before the season starts if they want a chance to take an additional buck during the state’s most popular hunting season. “West Virginia’s buck firearms season is an incredible time of year and one of the most exciting ways you can enjoy a hunting adventure and experience all of the outdoor goodness our beautiful state has to offer,” Gov. Justice said. “Whether you’re a lifelong hunter like me or just getting started,…

The Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) is pleased to announce that the Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) Resilient Maryland Program is now accepting applications. This comprehensive program provides preconstruction analysis and capital installation funds for the development and construction of microgrids, resilient facility power systems (RFPSs), and resiliency hubs. It enables reliable, sustainable, and affordable energy to Maryland communities, critical infrastructure, businesses, higher learning campuses, agriculture, and many other industries vulnerable to power outages; $2.7 million of funding is available.  The FY23 Resilient Maryland Program consolidates three MEA resiliency programs into a single streamlined “one-stop” program platform. The current offering includes three…

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR), Bureau for Medical Services today announced a 10% increase in ambulance ground transportation rates which will provide more than 200 West Virginia ambulance providers with $11.8 million in additional reimbursements per fiscal year. “We have so much gratitude for West Virginia’s ambulance and emergency medical services workers, especially during the last two years of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting stress on the state’s health care system,” said Bill J. Crouch, DHHR Cabinet Secretary. “Together with Gov. Justice, we requested this increase because these funds are critical to our local…

ACPS Bus #4 to Fort Hill High School and Washington Middle School will be replaced by Bus #2 today, Wednesday, November 16, 2022, and may be running up to 15 minutes late. Additionally, ACPS Bus #4 to South Penn Elementary School will be replaced by Bus #33 and may also be running up to 15 minutes late.

On November 15th, 2022 at 4:20pm an officer of the Cumberland Police Department conducted patrol in the area of West Industrial Boulevard and Lamont Street when they observed a vehicle pull out in front of another and conduct an unsafe lane change. The officer conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle, where they contacted the operator, David Davis. Upon contacting Davis the officer observed signs of impairment and, after the performance of standardized field sobriety test, the officer observed further evidence of impairment. Davis was placed under arrest and was later released on citations pending his trial at the District…

On November 15th, 2022 officers of the Cumberland Police Department served an Arrest Warrant on Eric Brewer. The Arrest Warrant was issued by the Circuit Court after he violated the conditions of his probation. Brewer was taken before a District Court Commissioner where he was held without bond. Arrest: Eric Brewer, age 50, Cumberland Maryland. Charges: Violation of Probation.

Maryland voters last week overwhelmingly  approved legalizing recreational marijuana in a constitutional amendment. The final tally statewide was 66% in favor with 33% opposed. The numbers were not as strong locally although a still solid 57% of Allegany County did vote to approve. The constitutional amendment defines that recreational marijuana would not be legal until July 2023 for people 21 and over, subject to a requirement that the General Assembly pass legislation in its next session regarding distribution, regulation and taxation of cannabis. Delegate Mike McKay, state senator-elect, said he was not in favor of putting the issue to a…

More than a decade after it’s publication, Maryland’s Governor-elect Wes Moore finds himself  still answering questions about the accuracy of his book which detailed his early years growing up in Baltimore.  Moore, elected to office last week, actually grew up in Takoma Park, Maryland and Bronx, NY and was away at military school when his single mom moved to a Baltimore suburb. He only became a Baltimore resident while in college at Johns Hopkins University. Dan Cox, his Republican opponent,attempted to make it a campaign issue saying that Moore essentially lied about his past. In an interview with Fox News…