Nearly 400 people donate blood daily across the DC region. Blood cannot be manufactured, so donations are critical. Those 400 donors are only a fraction of the number of people eligible to donate blood. Bethany Patterson with the American Red Cross says the country’s blood supply is stable, but there is always a need for universal donors…     “There is an increased need right now for type O blood donation and platelet donations. Type O blood is always in demand. It’s often going out to hospitals faster than it’s coming in through blood donation, because it is the universal…

UPMC has again received recognition by Ethisphere as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies. Ethisphere is a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices. UPMC has been recognized seven times in a row for an unwavering commitment to business integrity and is the only organization honored in the integrated healthcare system category. Other companies recognized include AES, CareFirst, and the Hershey Company.

The Cumberland Mayor and City Council will hear from lobbyist Rich Reinhardt of Percy Public Affairs during its work session Monday afternoon.  Twelve orders are part of the consent agenda at the regular public meeting, including authorizing the mayor to sign and execute all agreements in the innovative Choose Cumberland Relocation program.

Governor Patrick Morrisey and Attorney General J.B. McCuskey say they want to get to the bottom of how the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee chooses teams for the NCAA Tournament.  The two held a news conference Monday afternoon after WVU was left out of the tournament. They were team 69. The tournament has 68 teams.  Morrisey said the non-selection doesn’t pass the smell test.

West Virginia is among just ten states whose prison population declined between 2019 and 2023, according to a new report from the Prison Policy Initiative.  In the Mountain State, around eleven thousand people are incarcerated and more than nine thousand are on probation or parole.

The Cumberland area could be gaining another fast food franchise.  Jersey Mike’s has listed a Cumberland site as “in development.”  The address is 320 South Centre Street next to Wendy’s.  That is the former site of LabCorp., which is now located on Park Street. 

The water department will be repairing a water leak on George Street on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm.  George Street will be closed to traffic from Baltimore Street to Dexter Place.

Maryland has the greatest risk for negative effects from federal job cuts and funding. Over 160,000 federal workers call Maryland home, so the state needs to think differently and act quickly on budget matters.  Senate President Bill Ferguson feels a recession is likely, telling reporters lawmakers are doing all they can to keep Maryland from further decline…     “We are cutting over two and a half billion dollars of the state budget and we’re at a point now in order to protect core functions of the social safety net in the face of what the Trump administration is doing,…

Allegany County Library Director John Taube presented updated budget proposals at a public meeting that would keep all six libraries open, but cut staffing. Trish Morgan of the Save the Westernport Library group said that 70% of the budget goes to staff when it should only be about 35%. The library board of trustees is asking Taube to make cuts in other areas to preserve staffing…     “They tasked Mr. Taube to come up with some other kind of budgets that, number one, would keep all the other libraries open and, number two, how else can we cut the…

In the wake of the many wild fires across the country, including the devastating Palisades fire in California, a new “Fix Our Forests” bill is working through the U.S. Senate. The bill would revise forest management practices including forest health and fire-safety defenses for high-risk areas. West Virginia Senator Jim Justice sees the bill as an economic opportunity for the country to bring jobs back home…     “Why don’t we say, I’ll tell you what we’re going to do, we’re going to create some kind of management funding or whatever, and we’re going to apply that towards labor back…