The Garden Club of Cumberland along with the city will be hosting the 20th annual flag raising ceremony at Liberty Garden Park off of Maryland Ave today at noon. The large American flag donated by CSX is one of the first things driver's see traveling along westbound Interstate 68 through Cumberland. The 65 foot flagpole was donated by the Ort family.  Jeannie Decker of  Let's Beautify Cumberland spoke with WCBC news about the history of the event and this year’s ceremony…

Governor Larry Hogan today signed an additional 105 bipartisan bills into law, including measures to prevent opioid overdoses statewide, direct more funding to local governments for infrastructure improvements, and additional steps to divest from Russia and express solidarity with Ukraine. “Today, we are signing another 105 bipartisan bills into law, including measures that keep important promises we have made—from tackling the opioid epidemic to restoring hundreds of millions of dollars in critical funding for local infrastructure improvements,” said Governor Hogan. “I want to thank legislative leaders and the members of the General Assembly for working with us on these initiatives…

There will be no Triple Crown in 2022 as the winner of the Kentucky Derby is passing on running in the Preakness. Statement from Rick Dawson, owner of Rich Strike: "Our original plan for Rich Strike was contingent on the KY Derby, should we not run in the Derby we would point toward the Preakness, should we run in the Derby, subject to the race outcome & the condition of our horse, we would give him more recovery time & rest and run in the Belmont, or another race and stay on course to run with 5 or 6 weeks…

Allegany County Emergency Services reports a water rescue team along with local EMS and fire units have responded to 15 Mile Creek Road for a vehicle in the water. Additional details as they are made available.

On May 11th, 2022, an officer of the Cumberland Police Department conducted a traffic stop in the area of West Industrial Boulevard and Cedar Street. When the officer contacted the male operator, and requested his driver’s license and other pertinent documents to complete the traffic stop. The operator advised he did not have his license on his person, but provided identifying information. The officer observed there to be inconsistencies in the information, and further conducted the investigation. The officer discovered that the operator had provided a false name and was able to identify the operator as Matthew Robertson, who did…

According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2021 there were over 100,000 fatal drug overdoses in the United States. Maryland among the state seeing an increase in opioid and fentanyl-related deaths last year with Allegany County having some of the worst numbers in the state. Stopping the flow of drugs coming into the region would go a long way toward helping to solve the problem- however Allegany County States Attorney James Elliot said that won’t be easy given that the General Assembly has failed to pass legislation calling for tougher sentences…

With COVID-19 numbers relatively stable in Allegany County, the Board of Education has no plans to continue to offer virtual learning options for K-6 grades for the 2022-2023 school year. The latest numbers show the community level to be low,  while the cases per 100,000 and daily positivity rate are much lower than the state average. The school system’s Chief Academic Officer Kim Green-Kalbaugh provided an update during this week’s regular school board meeting…

Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot, sitting just inches away from Governor Larry Hogan, renewed his call Wednesday that the state release  $3.5 million in  funds to pay for training to prepare medical professionals to perform abortions when a new law takes effect this summer. Hogan is on record saying he has no intention of moving funding from another part of the budget to go toward the training program.  Both men sit on the Board of Public Works and  Franchot took the opportunity of the regular public meeting to lobby the governor in person…

President Joe Biden has begun raising money on the road for the first time in his presidency, headlining recent fundraisers in Portland, Oregon;  Seattle Washington for the Democratic National Committee;  and this week a stop in Maryland in support of Congressman David Trone. That event, held in Montgomery County, was attended by Cumberland Mayor Ray Morriss and council members Rock Cioni, Eugene Frazier and Laurie Marchini.  Mayor Morriss said when an invitation to an event headlined by the President of the United States is extended- there is no time for partisan politics… Councilman Cioni joined WCBC’s “Dave Norman Show” and…

The transfer of ownership of the  former Memorial Hospital site from the city to the Cumberland Economic Development Corporation should be finalized by the end of the month- and indications are there is already strong interest coming from the private sector.  Future plans for the location include construction of a housing development. Located in South Cumberland, the hospital was vacated in 2009 with the opening of a new hospital. What remains at the site is an 8-acre tract that includes a 300-space parking garage still intact at the south end of the property. CEDC executive director Matt Miller said attorneys…