By a vote of 12-2, the Maryland State Board of Education on Tuesday voted to rescind its mask mandate in schools, returning the decision to local districts. But the decision will not take effect until the Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive & Legislative Review, a panel of state delegates and senators that oversees regulations or standards in the state, holds its own vote.

The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) today announced nearly $8 million in emergency funding to support the state’s four residential treatment centers and to mitigate financial losses they incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding, made available through the American Rescue Plan Act, will help ensure critical services are provided to children and adolescents enrolled in Medicaid.   “This emergency funding will enable the state’s residential treatment centers to immediately bolster the behavioral health services and support they provide Maryland’s children and adolescents with severe emotional disturbances,” said MDH Secretary Dennis R. Schrader. “As we recover from the COVID-19…

Governor Larry Hogan today announced that the State of Maryland’s COVID-19 positivity rate has dropped below 3% for the first time since early November, as the state’s health metrics continue to decline.

 The 45th Annual Mountain Maryland PACE event in Annapolis is scheduled for March 3-4, 2022. After a year off in 2021 due to COVID restrictions and a forced delay this year due to a COVID spike, the event is confirmed and proceeding with a slight adjustment to event start time. “We are glad to have had the ability to make some adjustments this year, with the support and flexibility of our partners, to ensure that we didn’t go another year without this important event in Annapolis. That same flexibility is what has led us to make a slight time change…

CUMBERLAND POLICE DEPARTMENT Missing Person Sarah Noelle Kesner, age 18, has been reported missing to the Cumberland Police Department.  Anyone with information as to her whereabouts is urged to contact the Cumberland Police Department at 301-777-1600.  A recent photo of Kesner has been attached to this request.  Thanks for your assistance. 

Sarah Noelle Kesner, age 18, has been reported missing to the Cumberland Police Department.  Anyone with information as to her whereabouts is urged to contact the Cumberland Police Department at 301-777-1600. 

Date: 2/21/2022 Time: 6:01 a.m.  Location / Address:  126 Grand Avenue, Cumberland, Allegany County  Type of Incident: Dwelling Fire  Description of Structure / Property: Two-story, single family dwelling  Owner / Occupants: Jonathan Painter  Injuries or Deaths: None reported  Estimated $ Loss: $7,000.00 Smoke Alarm Status: Not present  Fire Alarm / Sprinkler Status: Not present  Arrests(s): N/A Primary Responding Fire Department: Cumberland Fire Department  # of Alarms:  1   # Of Firefighters: 6 Time to Control: 5 minutes  Discovered By: Passerby  Area of Origin: Front porch  Preliminary Cause: Under Investigation  Additional Information: The residents were not displaced due to the fire. Cumberland Fire Department firefighters were also credited with saving a litter of 15 puppies from the residence. Five Great Danes…

On Monday February 21, 2022 the Cumberland Police served an Arrest Warrant on Michael Robert Caswell, age 35 of Cumberland, MD.  The warrant charged Caswell with Harassment and Telephone Misuse-Repeat calls.  The charges were filed by a private citizen and the warrant was issued.  Caswell was taken to Central Booking for his initial appearance before the District Court Commissioner and he was held at the Allegany County Detention Center on a $2,500 bond. 

Allegany County Government on Monday announced the official launch of Invest Allegany, a $2,000,000 investment program split over two years to create long-term economic growth. The County Commissioners are allocating these funds from the American Rescue Plan to help accelerate the county’s business community recovery and support redevelopment of the downtown cores of Cumberland and Frostburg as well as main streets across Allegany County. Commissioners President Jake Shade said the goal of this program is to create long-term value in the county by providing matching grant funds for capital improvement projects…

Last week, Maryland Sixth District Congressman David Trone  joined the  Allegany County Branch of the NAACP on a panel to discuss actions that can be taken to protect and expand the right to vote in America. Trone said Black History Month is a most appropriate time to discuss voting rights given what he says are alarming trends trying to undo the gains that have been made in the past fifty plus years…