On May 16, 2022, Officers of the Cumberland Police Department responded to I68 West Bound for a motor vehicle accident with injuries. Officers observed damage to the front end of the at fault vehicle. The operator stated that they were entering I68 behind another vehicle. While they attempted to merge onto the highway they were unaware that the vehicle in front had stopped.  They were unable to avoid striking the car that stopped due to a vehicle preventing them from merging. Officers observed heavy rear end damage to the second vehicle. The driver and another passenger were transported to UPMC…

Lee Schwartz the long time owner/operator of The Book Center in Downtown Cumberland passed away Monday at the age of 70.  Lee’s parents Martin and Jean Schwartz moved to Cumberland from Baltimore in 1952 when he was just two- and after operating the Rex News Agency- they founded The Book Center in 1971 with Lee joining the family business and eventually taking over the day to day operations. The business expanded and several years ago began serving as an animal shelter cat adoption outpost.  Lee is survived by his wife of 44 years Gayle Griffith. The Adams Family Funeral Home…

Governor Jim Justice is pleading with U.S. Rep. Alex Mooney to get involved in working with him and his office to help West Virginia- but at the same time he denies that there is any friction or bad blood between the two. The governor supported Representative David McKinley over Mooney in last week’s 2nd Congressional District Republican primary. Mooney, backed by former President Donald Trump, defeated McKinley by 18 points. Justice said while he supports Trump, and thought McKinley made a bad move by voting for a January 6 insurrection investigation – he believes McKinley made the right move in…

Former Cumberland Mayor Frank Nethken has passed away at the age of 91. Nethken, who was born in Keyser, graduated from Fort Hill in 1949, then served in the U.S. Navy. He was a machinist inspector for the Chessie Railroad and retired from that position. He worked several years as a real estate broker. His lifelong interest in politics culminated with his election as Cumberland’s mayor for one term- 1978 thru 1982- defeating incumbent Perry Smith. Nethken was defeated in his bid for re-election by George Wyckoff. In the years that followed, Nethken unsuccessfully campaigned for public office on several…

Summer 2022 promises to be a busy time for downtown Cumberland with dozens of special events and activities planned. During the regular meeting of the Downtown Development Commission, board chair Sandra Saville said getting the word out to the general public regarding the schedule will be a priority in the coming days, weeks and months…

With violent crime escalating in Baltimore and the strategies of the mayor and police commissioner seemingly having little success- one Democrat candidate for governor has suggested declaring a state of emergency and utilizing the National Guard if necessary. Rushern Baker, the former Prince George’s county executive, says in the last eight years, over 2000 mostly young Black men have been killed in Baltimore. He says that is because they are Black and because no one in power cares. Maryland’s Lt Governor Boyd Rutherford says he agrees that violent crime is getting out of control- but he believes calling in the…

DelFest 2022, the genre-spanning festival brainchild of McCoury Music and High Sierra Music, is a little more than a week away. DelFest is a four-day celebration of music held at the  Allegany County Fairgrounds set for Memorial Day Weekend. After missing both 2020 and 2021 due to COVID, this year’s lineup includes many Delfest favorites. The 3-day preliminary DelFest Academy takes place the Sunday through Wednesday prior to the festival and  will again be hosted by the McCourys, providing a world-class jamming opportunity to learn from and mix it up with all-star musicians. Ron McCoury tells WCBC News that it’s both a…

Congressman David Trone (MD-06) announced he requested $32,704,877 in funding for projects across Maryland’s Sixth District. These investments will create new jobs, deliver much-needed resources to Sixth District communities, and restore neglected infrastructure. This upcoming fiscal year, Members are allowed to request 15 projects, an increase of five projects from the previous fiscal year. For Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, Congressman Trone’s projects represent an over 370% increase from FY 2022 funding. In FY 2022, all 10 of the Congressman’s requested projects were ultimately included and signed into law via the final federal funding package. “As a businessman, I know how…

A vehicle drove through a window at LaVale Pharmacy in Burton's Plaza Monday afternoon. There were no injuries and no structural damage to the building. Maryland State Police responded. 

Former Cumberland Mayor Frank Nethken has passed away at the age of 91. Nethken, who was born in Keyser, graduated from Fort Hill in 1949, then served in the U.S. Navy. He was a machinist inspector for the Chessie Railroad and retired from that position. He worked several years as a real estate broker. His lifelong interest in politics culminated with his election as Cumberland’s mayor for one term- 1978 thru 1982- defeating incumbent Perry Smith. Nethken was defeated in his bid for re-election by George Wyckoff. In the years that followed, Nethken unsuccessfully campaigned for public office on several…