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

On Friday Cumberland City Police responded to business in the 400 block of Maryland Ave for the report of male subject walking around the store brandishing a knife. Upon arrival, Officers learned that the male subject had arrived on scene in a vehicle and was accompanied by a female subject. Officers were able to observe CDS paraphernalia inside the vehicle while speaking with the subjects. During a subsequent search of the vehicle and its passengers, the female subject was found to be in possession of multiple pieces of CDS paraphernalia as well as a quantity of suspected methamphetamines. As a…

On Thursday, the CDC released updated data which show Allegany County at the medium COVID-19 community level.  This is an improvement from last week when the county was at a high COVID-19 community level.  CDC COVID-19 community levels measure the impact of COVID-19 illness on health and healthcare systems.   To determine each county’s COVID-19 community level, the CDC looks at a combination of three metrics – new COVID-19 cases, new COVID-19 hospital admissions, and the percent of hospital beds occupied by COVID patients.   The CDC recommends different prevention strategies at different COVID-19 community levels. At the medium level,…

A who's who in Maryland politics made up the speakers list appearing Friday at the Mountain Maryland PACE breakfast at the Westin Hotel in Annapolis. U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen were joined by Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot; House Speaker Adrienne Jones and Senate President Bill Ferguson. Many of those speaking offered praise and tribute for longtime House and Senate member George Edwards who is retiring after 40 years in office. 

The Cumberland Times News reports the cause of a Feb. 26 fire that destroyed the administration building at the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind has been ruled undetermined.  Investigators cited the extensive damage, which destroyed the 1800s-era structure on the Romney campus, as hindering their ability to determine a cause. The building was unoccupied at the time and students were home for the weekend when the fire broke out just after 6 a.m. The investigation, conducted by both the fire marshal's office and a team of investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, included…

For the 7-day period of  February 25 – March 3, 2022, there were no schools that met the definition of a School Wide or Cohort Outbreak of COVID-19.  ACPS had 3 staff members and 18 students reported as positive for COVID-19 during this time.  ACPS had 1 staff member quarantined as a close contact, and 11 students were reported as close contacts to a positive person and required to quarantine. 

The Cumberland Police responded to a three vehicle crash on Mechanic St at the intersection with Harrison St.  It was determined that the at fault vehicle failed to reduce its speed for stopped vehicles in the intersection, causing a collision.  Minor injuries were reported.  One patient was transported to the hospital for treatment.

The Cumberland Police served an arrest warrant on Robert Andrew Keech, age 43 of Hagerstown, MD.  The warrant charged Keech with Theft $100 to under $1,500.  Keech was taken to Central Booking for his initial appearance before the District Court Commissioner.  He was released on his personal recognizance.  Arrested:  Andrew Keech  Age: 43  Hagerstown, MD Charges:  Theft $100 to under $1,500   The Cumberland Police served an arrest  warrant on Llanny Vega Jr, age 31 of Frostburg MD.  The bench warrant was issued by the Allegany County Circuit Court for an original charge of Second Degree Assault.  He was taken…