The Cumberland Times News reports multiple pretrial hearings are scheduled in four counties and two states in a massive deer poaching case. This past month, 223 charges involving at least 27 antlered bucks taken illegally in Mineral, Grant and Hampshire counties in West Virginia from mid September to late December were filed against eight area residents. Former Mineral County deputy sheriffs Tyler Biggs and Dalton Dolly are among the people charged and have resigned from their jobs. Also charged Chris Biggs who serves in Allegany County’s Department of Emergency Services- although he has been suspended. Earlier this month, special prosecutors…

Today, members of the Joint Republican Caucus announced a package of election integrity legislation to establish commonsense safeguards of Maryland’s elections processes. “We believe in free and fair elections for all Marylanders. We also believe that confidence in our elections and their validity is the basis of our civil society,” said House Minority Leader Jason Buckel. “With mail-in ballots becoming a larger part of our elections process, this legislative package proactively establishes safeguards to ensure the integrity of our elections.” HB 939 – Ballot Protection Act of 2022 prohibits election officials at all levels of government from the mass mailing…

UPMC’s longtime Vice President of Government Affairs and Chief Government Relations Officer, Scott Baker, has announced his intention to retire June 30, 2022. Baker joined the UPMC leadership team in 2012 after 32 years of government service and government affairs in both the public and private sectors at the state and federal levels.     Prior to joining UPMC, Baker served in top legislative affairs and congressional staff roles as secretary of legislative affairs for former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge and held senior positions with U.S. Senator John Heinz and U.S. Congressman Tom Ridge. Baker also served as director of…

.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressman David Trone (all D-Md.) today announced $167,229 in federal funding to expand rural broadband connectivity in Garrett County. The funding comes from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Area Development Program and will go toward deploying six miles of broadband conduit, improving broadband services for hundreds of households.   “The pandemic has underscored that reliable, accessible internet is a necessity for every household,” the lawmakers said. “Currently, 20-30% of Garrett County’s households do not have access to what the FCC considers ‘reliable’ broadband. This is unacceptable. Team Maryland will continue to secure…

With Maryland’s COVID-19 metrics showing promise, the State Board of Education said it will evaluate the need for masks to be worn in schools when it meets next week. With a growing number of medical professionals, parents, and Governor Larry Hogan calling for an end to school mask requirements, State Board President Clarence Crawford said the issue will be evaluated and discussed when the board meets Tuesday… Meanwhile, looking to force the issue, a citizens group, the Coalition of Maryland Parents is suing the state board over the masking requirement. The group’s attorney C. Edward Hartman said moving forward with…

Cumberland Mayor Ray Morriss stated emphatically Wednesday that the proposed River Park at Canal Place project will move forward- and that plan includes removing the dam under the Blue Bridge. After West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced his opposition to the project- Delegate Gary Howell chimed in- telling the Cumberland Times News that the dam removal would take away more opportunities than it would create. The proposed project calls for constructing the river park along the North Branch of the Potomac River behind Canal Place. The park would include a moderate whitewater course, canoe and kayak docks, trails and…

Local lawmakers are seeking $100 million in funding from the state as a way to incentivize economic growth in Western Maryland- and the proposed legislation received a hearing this week before the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee in Annapolis. The idea of creating a fund of $100 million to attract businesses and spur new home construction was developed by the 11-member Task Force on the Economic Future of Western Maryland. The task force met for nearly two years to work on ideas to jumpstart the economy in Allegany, Garrett and Washington counties. The delegation bill requests $20 million a year…

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced a continued decline in the state’s COVID-19 health metrics, including hospitalizations dropping below 700 — now more than five times lower than the omicron peak last month. Hospitalizations are now less than one-fifth of the omicron peak of just below 3,500. Overall, hospitalizations have declined by 80.3%. Maryland’s COVID-19 case rate has declined by nearly 95%, and the state continues to report the country’s lowest case rate. During Wednesday’s Board of Public Works meeting, Lt Governor Boyd Rutherford talked about the possibility of annual COVID vaccinations…

The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) has updated its COVID-19 case numbers to include reinfections data. MDH counts a case as a reinfection, and includes it as a new case, if an individual tests positive for COVID-19 and has not had a positive COVID-19 test result within the past 90 days. Maryland is now counting 24,800 COVID-19 reinfections among its cumulative cases, dating back to late September. Updated COVID-19 surveillance data can be found on the Maryland COVID-19 surveillance dashboard at coronavirus.maryland.gov.  Due to the addition of reinfections, the Allegany County COVID-19 case count has jumped to 16,712 total cases….

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced Wednesday that his office has reached an agreement with representatives of the state’s cities and counties over how to allocate any settlement funds or judgments received in their various suits against opioid makers, distributors and other parties in the pharmaceutical supply chain. The agreement, called a memorandum of understanding (MOU), calls for the creation of a private, nonstock, nonprofit foundation for the purposes of distributing settlement or judgment funds awarded from litigation for abatement purposes.