Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan vetoed a measure Friday that would expand access to abortion in the state by ending a restriction that only physicians can provide them and requiring most insurance plans to cover abortion care without cost. The Republican governor, who isn't ruling out a run for the White House in 2024 after his second term ends early next year, wrote that the bill “endangers the health and lives of women by allowing non-physicians to perform abortions.” “The bill risks lowering the high standard of reproductive health care services received by women in Maryland,” wrote Hogan, who has previously…

Route 220 near the WCI facility was shut down Friday night around 10 pm as crews worked to remove a fallen tree. No injuries reported. 

On Friday the Cumberland Police Departement served a Criminal Summons on Samantha Marie Phillips.  The Criminal Summons was issued for an incident that occurred in the 200 block of E. Industrial Blvd. in March 2022.  During that incident it was alleged that Phillips had assaulted another subject in the residence.  An application for charges was filed and the Criminal Summons was issued.   Samantha Marie Phillips, age 22, Cumberland, MD Charges: Assault 2nd degree, Trespass/private property     Warrant Served   Police  served an Allegany County District Court Bench Warrant on Jessica Lynn Miller.  The Bench Warrant was issued after Miller…

The Allegany County Health Department reports that there have been only 11 new cases of COVID-19 added to the state’s dashboard for Allegany County since April 1.  Allegany’s case rate has remained below the statewide average for more than two weeks now.    The health department continues to offer COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters to the public each Wednesday.  Youth vaccines (ages 5 to 11) are given from 3 to 4:30 p.m. on the main floor of the Willowbrook Office Complex (12501 Willowbrook Road, Cumberland, MD).  Vaccines for ages 12 and older are offered at the Allegany County Fairgrounds Multipurpose Building…

U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen David Trone, Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony G. Brown, and Jamie B. Raskin (all D-Md.) announced $348,108,466 in federal funding for Maryland in fiscal year 2022 to strengthen public transit infrastructure across the state. The lawmakers helped secure this increased federal funding – which can be used to modernize aging infrastructure, upgrade vehicles, expand accessibility of transit stations, improve safety, address equity in transportation, and more – through the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).   “Every day, Marylanders rely on public transit to get where they need to go. Greater federal investment in public transit is essential to make…

A bill in Maryland to ban “ghost guns” will become law without Gov. Larry Hogan’s signature. Last month, Maryland lawmakers approved a measure banning the sale and possession of so-called ghost guns, which don’t have serial numbers and can be assembled from kits purchased online. WTOP reports that in a tweet Friday morning, Hogan said he was allowing the measure to go into effect, calling it a “positive step as we seek to stem the tide of violent crime — but it does nothing to penalize those who actually pull the trigger on firearms.”

The Cumberland Times News reports two felony charges against Allegany County's suspended Department of Emergency Services EMS chief, who was charged in connection with what some have called the largest deer poaching case in West Virginia's history, were dismissed Friday in Mineral County Magistrate Court. “I’m feeling like today is a small victory,” Christopher Biggs said outside the Keyser courtroom. “I think the judicial system got it right." West Virginia Natural Resources Police conducted the investigation that led to 223 charges against Biggs and seven other area residents and involving at least 27 antlered bucks being illegally taken in Mineral, Grant and…

This week, Congressman David Trone (MD-06) voted to secure urgently needed relief for small businesses across Maryland. The Relief for Restaurants & Other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act will deliver $55 billion to replenish funding for Maryland restaurants and establish a new program supporting other small businesses impacted by the pandemic.   “Small businesses are the lifeblood of Maryland’s economy and are helping power our historic recovery,” said Congressman Trone. “In our American Rescue Plan, we created the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, which has been a lifeline for over 2,000 Maryland businesses, helping them pay their staff, feed their communities, and…

Gov. Larry Hogan has some decisions to make as Friday is the deadline for him to sign or veto 40 separate bills passed by the legislature. Many of them passed with veto-proof majorities in the legislature, so even if he vetos them, lawmakers could vote to override the vetoes and enact the laws anyway. Lawmakers would take override votes Saturday and Monday when session ends. Some bills include the Abortion Care Access Act, Time to Care Act of 2022, Juvenile Interrogation Protection Act and more.  

For the 7-day period of April 1-7, 2022, there were no schools that met the definition of a School Wide or Cohort Outbreak of COVID-19.  ACPS had zero staff members and 3 students reported as positive for COVID-19 during this time.  ACPS had 1 staff member quarantined as a close contact.  There were no students reported as a close contact to a positive person and required to quarantine.