Although no deal has been finalized, the sale of the 19 Frederick Street building is getting close to coming to fruition. The Georgian Revival-style building was constructed between 1902 and 1904 and  has been used as a post office, police station and an HRDC senior center over the years, but has been vacant for several years. The Cumberland Economic Development Corporation developed an RFP for the building last September and interest was strong with more than 20 responses. Speculation has been that the potential business is centered around the craft brewing industry- although Mayor Ray Morriss declined to identify the…

With property assessments on the rise, income tax revenue booming, a $4.2 million budget surplus and millions of federal dollars available via the America Rescue Act- the Allegany County Commissioners expect to reward county employees with a wage increase for FY 2022. The commissioners received a preliminary budget overview during a recent work session and aside from an anticipated jump in health insurance costs- all other fiscal matters fall into the positive category. With a healthy budget in place and inflation rising, County Commissioners President Jake Shade said now is the time to consider salary enhancements…

Registered sex offender burning trash accidentally shoots own foot which leads to arrest for possession with intent to distribute meth.   On Saturday March 5, 2022 the Allegany County Sheriff's Office was contacted about a male subject who had an injury to his foot caused by a bullet. While the male was seeking medical treatment for the injury he reported to a Deputy that he was burning trash in his yard and he must have accidently thrown a live round into the fire which exploded and injured his foot. The male was identified as Rodney Wayne Bible who is a…

On Saturday, March 5, 2022, an officer of the Cumberland Police Department conducted a traffic stop on Canal Parkway. A K-9 scan was requested by the officer and the K-9 alerted to the odor of CDS in the vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed that one of the occupants, identified as Sierra Teague, was in possession of a controlled dangerous substance and numerous CDS paraphernalia items. Teague was arrested and transported to police headquarters for processing. She was then transported to Central Booking to await her initial appearance. Teague was later remanded to the Allegany County Detention Center, held…

On Saturday, March 5, 2022, the Cumberland Police Department served a Garrett County District Court bench warrant on Hayden Yates. The warrant was issued as a result of Yates violating his probation. Yates was originally charged with Burglary-4th Degree and Malicious Destruction of Property. Yates was arrested and transported to Central Booking. He was later taken before a District Court Commissioner where he was released on his personal recognizance.   ARRESTED: Hayden James Yates AGE: 24 Cumberland, MD   On Saturday, March 5, 2022, the Cumberland Police Department served a Garrett County District Court bench warrant on Autumn Crosco. The…

The Joint Communications Center of Allegany County says three people were taken to UMPC Western Maryland for treatment following an accident on US 220 near Jared Drive in Cresaptown. The call came in just after 1:30 PM and the road was shut down for about an hour as emergency crews tended to the injured and disabled vehicles. Fire and rescue cleared the scene at 2:35 PM Saturday.

A late decision to avoid the mountains of Western Maryland took the People's Truck Convoy around our area Friday. The good news is that we avoided the 40 mile long traffic distruption it likely would have caused. The bad news is that there were several locals who were looking forward to giving their support to the group on the way to DC.  

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) reports as of March 4, 2022, there are currently 2,088 active COVID-19 cases statewide. There have been 13 deaths reported since the last report, with a total of 6,440 deaths attributed to COVID-19.   DHHR has confirmed the deaths of a 67-year old male from Mercer County, a 66-year old male from Berkeley County, a 50-year old female from Fayette County, a 69-year old female from Marion County, a 79-year old female from Logan County, a 76-year old male from Cabell County, a 66-year old male from Upshur County, a…

Waterfront and Streamside Landowners can Reserve Seedlings               The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is offering free tree seedlings to landowners statewide who have a creek, drainage ditch, stream, or other waterway on or near their property through the Backyard Buffers program, now available in 23 counties.  Trees and shrubs planted along waterways help improve water quality by absorbing excess nutrients, lowering peak water temperatures, reducing sediment, and stabilizing stream banks.  Each “buffer in a bag” contains about 25 native bare-root tree and shrub seedlings with species appropriate to their region.  Maryland Forest Service staff will provide information…

Firefighters from several area companies battled a house fire Friday on Greenbrier Lane near Fort Ashby. The Cumberland Times News reports first-arriving firefighters encountered heavy fire conditions in the structure located off of Horseshoe Road about 7 miles west of Fort Ashby. Volunteers were alerted by the Mineral County 911 center about 7:15 p.m