Just two shopping days remain until Christmas- and if you are one of those looking to avoid large crowds and long lines in chain stores- Cumberland Ray Morriss suggests you visit some of the smaller, local businesses downtown. Small Business Saturday proved a tremendous success just a few weeks ago and the mayor says he would like to see those stores continuing to do business through the Christmas Shopping season…

A week after harassment charges were levied against House Minority Leader Jason Buckel in relation to his pending divorce,  the Maryland House Republican Caucus is in flux ahead of a leadership election. Although the charges are being dropped, Delegate Christopher  Adams  resigned from his position as House minority whip on Monday, and is expected to run for a leadership position on a separate slate from Buckel’s when the GOP caucus next meets ahead of the next General Assembly session, which begins on Jan. 12. Adams said that whoever is in charge of the House Minority Caucus needs to be “completely…

America’s biggest coal mining union is calling on West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin to reconsider his opposition to President Joe Biden’s $2 trillion social and climate spending bill. United Mine Workers of America International President Cecil Roberts said the legislation includes several provisions that would aid coal workers, including extension of a fee that helps fund benefits for workers suffering from black lung and tax incentives that would encourage manufactures to build facilities in coal fields and to employ out-of-work miners. Manchin, a Democrat from a deep red Republican state, admits that these are challenging times for him…

ACPS Bus #25 coming from Fort Hill High School and Washington Middle School was hit by a passenger vehicle. There are no injuries to anyone on the bus; however, a replacement bus is being sent. This will result in a delay of approximately 25 minutes getting students dropped off this afternoon.

According to the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office, five occupants were displaced Tuesday afternoon when fire of a undetermined origin broke out in a two-story Eckhart Mines residence. A report was issued Wednesday afternoon. No injuries were reported and all the occupants escaped the blaze that was discovered in a second-floor bedroom by a tenant of the property located at 17112 Carscaden Road just off Old National Pike and south of state Route 36. The property, owned by Virginia and Kristina Holcomb, was declared a total loss. Damage was estimated by fire investigators at $30,000. The victims were provided assistance…

Maryland State Police are gearing up for the week between Christmas and New Year’s with additional troopers on patrol using a variety of initiatives to urge both motorists and pedestrians to use common sense, take responsibility and be more courteous on Maryland’s roadways. Between today and January 2, troopers from each of the 23 Maryland State Police barracks statewide will be focusing enforcement efforts on impaired driving, aggressive driving, speeding, distracted driving and other violations that often contribute to highway tragedies, especially during holiday seasons.  Additional troopers will be working overtime assignments through New Year’s Eve funded by highway safety…

Governor Larry Hogan today announced that the State of Maryland has conducted more than 1 million free COVID-19 tests for Maryland students and staff since the beginning of the academic year, as part of the statewide K-12 testing program aimed at keeping schools safe and open. “After enduring nearly a year of distance learning, we owe it to our Maryland students to do everything we can to help keep them safely in the classroom,” said Governor Hogan. “We all want to keep our kids safe, and this critical testing program is helping us do so.” The Maryland Department of Health…

Maryland Department of Health (MDH) Secretary Dennis R. Schrader today encouraged Marylanders to get a COVID-19 test for themselves and loved ones before they gather indoors for the holidays.    “As we move further into the holidays and winter season continues, getting vaccinated, boosted and tested are the most important precautions Marylanders can take to protect themselves against COVID-19 and the Delta and Omicron variants,” said Secretary Schrader. “Increasing community access to COVID-19 testing remains a priority and we are introducing new initiatives each week. Marylanders getting a COVID-19 test before they visit their family and friends will give them…

The fall sports season was a pretty good one for the Mountain Ridge Miners. Both the volleyball team and the varsity football team were the recipients of MPSSAA State Tournament Sportsmanship Awards this year, an award that is presented to one team per sport. All classifications are eligible for the award, not just those in Class 1A. The Sportsmanship Award is presented to teams based on respect displayed by players, coaches, administrators, and fans. Winners are decided by vote by the MPSSAA tournament committees for each sport.               The Sportsmanship Award stems from the MPSSAA’s “Respect the Game” initiative, which…

On December 22, 2021 at approximately 2:38 AM a Deputy with the Allegany County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to the Sheetz in Cresaptown, Maryland for a check on well-being of a possible intoxicated subject in a vehicle. After the Deputy made contact with the subject he had a k9 respond to conduct a scan of the vehicle which resulted in a positive alert. A subsequent search of the vehicle yielded over seven (7) ounces of suspected heroin/fentanyl. The driver and sole occupant, 36 years-old Brooke Kristine Fitzgerald of Ashland, Oregon, was arrested and charged with the following: Possession of fentanyl…