Canal Place executive director Dee Dee Ritchie provided a river park project update Tuesday- with the  goal remaining for a fall of 2022 groundbreaking. Plans for the river park will include docks, a whitewater river course, viewing area and trail along the Potomac River behind Canal Place. Preliminary costs estimate are in the $12 to $15 million range- with federal and state funds being pursued. Now that plans have been submitted for federal and state review- Ritchie says the next step will be to schedule a public hearing…

Getting in the holiday spirit, Comptroller Peter Franchot is kicking off the annual Shop Maryland and Save for the Holidays campaign. Comptroller Franchot has once again partnered with the MD|DC Credit Union Association to provide savings to members who shop locally and support Maryland small businesses…

Tourism along the 150-mile Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) drove over $121 million in economic impact in 2019, according to a year-long analysis by Pittsburgh-based consulting firm Fourth Economy. To determine the extent of tourism-related spending on the Great Allegheny Passage and to evaluate how the GAP and its visitors are viewed, Fourth Economy conducted 64 interviews with local stakeholders and surveyed 125 owners of trail-facing businesses, 784 GAP users, and 163 residents of trail towns – typically, small communities once dependent on coal, coke, paper, lumber, and manufacturing.  Its team estimated that GAP tourism generated over $74 million in direct…

The Tribune Democrat reports suspended Somerset County District Attorney Jeff Thomas' pay and benefits are now halted. Somerset County's salary board – in this case, the county's three commissioners and Treasurer Donna Matsko-Schmidt – took formal action on the change Tuesday, acknowledging the suspension as a move to comply with the recently state-approved ACT 88. The act prevents elected prosecutors from overseeing their offices without an active law license. In the same motion, the county salary board also formally acknowledged now-Acting District Attorney Molly Metzgar will earn Thomas' state-set wage – $185,000 per year to oversee the office. "What happens next…

Democrat Mike Rosenbaum announced Tuesday he is dropping out of the Maryland governor’s race. WBAL reports his decision narrows the field of Democratic candidates in the primary from nine to eight. Rosenbaum, who is a tech entrepreneur with a Baltimore-based business, said his campaign was launched around the vision that Maryland can do more to help more Marylanders achieve economic security. “I will continue to advocate for this vision, but at this time, I have concluded that a campaign for governor is not the most effective way forward in achieving the kind of change I believe is necessary for Maryland…

The Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration will temporarily close in early December as it upgrades it IT systems. Branch offices will close from the close of business Dec. 2 through 8:30 a.m. Dec. 6 as it deploys phase two of the agency’s IT modernization project known as Customer Connect. MDOT MVA’s eStore, appointment scheduler and 24-hour self-service kiosks also will be unavailable from 9 p.m. Dec. 2 through noon Dec. 5. All Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program (VEIP) stations and self-service VEIP kiosks will remain open and do not require an appointment for testing. MDOT MVA deployed the first phase…

According to the Allegany County Department of Emergency Services, a man was killed Tuesday morning after he apparently suffered a medical emergency and crashed a vehicle into a guardrail on U.S. Route 40 at the Narrows. The driver, who had not been identified, was administered CPR at the scene of the 9:58 a.m. crash before he was taken to the hospital by a county ambulance. He died at UPMC Western Maryland. Witnesses reportedly observed the vehicle travel through the traffic light at the intersection of Routes 40 and 36 before the vehicle struck the guardrail where the vehicle came to rest. The…

Allegany County Emergency Services reports a vehicle accident in the Narrows near the Locust Grove Bridge. National Highway in the area of the Narrows is being shut down for accident reconstruction.  

On November 29th, 2021 an officer from the Cumberland Police Department was on patrol and observed a traffic violation.  Upon contacting the operator, Kandie Lee Scarpelli-Miller, age 31 of Frostburg Md, he learned that she had an active arrest warrant for Failing to Appear for a court date.  Scarpelli-Miller’s Maryland driver’s license was also suspended.  She was cited for several traffic violations and placed under arrest for the warrant.  Scarpelli-Miller was taken before the District Court Commissioner and was held without bond.   Arrested:  Kandie Lee Scarpelli-Miller, 31 years old, Frostburg MD Charges:  Fail to Appear

On November 29th, 2021 the Cumberland Police responded to a residence on the 900 block of Maryland Ave for a report of an assault.  Upon arrival officers contacted the male victim and observed that he had several lacerations on his hand and arm.  Through the investigation it was learned that the male victim had been arguing with a female, Rebecca Zajdel, age 30, of Cumberland Maryland.  During the argument, Zajdel allegedly grabbed a knife and cut the victim several times.  The Cumberland Fire Department was called to treat the victim for non-life threatening injuries.  Based on the investigation, Zajdel was…