Comptroller Peter Franchot announced Wednesday the filing and payment deadline for 2021 Maryland state individual income taxes has been extended by three months – to Friday, July 15, 2022 – to assist taxpayers facing financial difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The extension announcement came during a virtual news conference with agency officials to discuss the January 24 start date of the 2022 tax season, which is when federal and state individual income tax returns will be accepted. Federal and state corporate income tax returns are already being processed. Comptroller Franchot’s decision to extend the filing and payment deadlines –…

Governor Larry Hogan on Wednesday presented his eighth and final budget as executive, pledging $4.6 billion in tax cuts and $8.15 billion for K-12 education while also leaving $3.6 billion into the Rainy Day Fund, reserves the governor said would help the state in its next emergency. Hogan also touted spending initiatives he has announced in the days leading up to this budget presentation, including a $75 million allocation to local health departments still dealing with the pandemic, enhanced SNAP benefits for children and seniors, increased assistance with utility and electric bills, and the “re-fund the police” program providing $500 million to law enforcement…

The start of the new year for the Cumberland Economic Development Corporation begins with two new board members and yet another change in the timeline for the Baltimore Street redesign project. At the board’s January meeting, Brian Kurtz, the new Senior Vice President and General Manager at Rocky Gap Casino Resort was appointed to replace Skylar Dice on the board; while Nathan Price with Allegany County’s Economic Development Department was added as a board member. Meanwhile, groundbreaking for the nearly $10 million Baltimore Street Access Project continues to be a moving target. Late last year the hope was for a…

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan continues to make clear that he is not happy with  President Joe Biden's effort to offer free at-home COVID-19 tests to Americans, claiming the plan caused issues for states already planning to purchase kits. Hogan said Wednesday that the state had ordered rapid test kits to make available to Marylanders- however the federal government stepped in and purchased those- essentially hijacking the tests from the states and delaying distribution…

Free at-home rapid COVID-19 tests are now available for order from the federal government by going to http://www.covidtests.gov/.  Four free tests may be requested per residential address. Tests will typically ship within 7-12 days of ordering. COVID cases are still high in Allegany County.  Our case count per 100,000 people is at 160.63, compared to the statewide average of 122.96. UPCOMING COVID-19 VACCINE CLINICS: Allegany County Fairgrounds, 11400 Moss Avenue, Cumberland, MD Moderna Booster Clinic: January 26:  9 a.m. to 1 p.m. https://www.marylandvax.org/appointment/en/reg/6012927169 First and second doses of Moderna (ages 18+), first and second doses of Pfizer (ages 12+), and…

Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh today joined a coalition of 21 attorneys general in a comment letter urging the U.S. Department of State (DOS) to formally withdraw its iteration of the Trump-era public charge regulation, which replicated the now-defunct rule previously put forward by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in 2019. The DHS rule had been challenged by Attorney General Frosh, and 12 other attorneys general, in a lawsuit filed in August 2019.   The regulations unlawfully attempted to target immigrants and their families by turning the use of basic health, nutrition, and housing programs into barriers…

Gov. Larry Hogan on Wednesday presented his eighth and final budget as executive, pledging $4.6 billion in tax cuts and $8.15 billion for K-12 education while also leaving $3.6 billion into the Rainy Day Fund, reserves the governor said would help the state in its next emergency. Hogan also touted spending initiatives he has announced in the days leading up to this budget presentation, including a $75 million allocation to local health departments still dealing with the pandemic, enhanced SNAP benefits for children and seniors, increased assistance with utility and electric bills, and the “re-fund the police” program providing $500 million to law enforcement…

           On Saturday evening at  approximately 7:10 pm, the Cumberland Barrack was notified of a pedestrian struck by a car on US 220 just north of Barton Blvd.        Troopers responded to the scene and determined that a Nissan Altima passenger vehicle was traveling northbound on US 220 north of Barton Blvd.  A pedestrian entered the roadway directly in the path of the Nissan.  The pedestrian struck the front of the Nissan.  The pedestrian was transported to UPMC Western Maryland where she was pronounced dead.  The deceased was identified as Alicia Green (37 YOA from Cumberland, MD).        …

On January 18th, 2022 an officer of the Cumberland Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in the area of the 100 block of Virginia Avenue, contacting the occupants Brett Denby and Joseph Thompson. The officer observed criminal indicators and requested a k-9 to respond. After the k-9 indicated a positive alert on the vehicle a search revealed a quantity of controlled dangerous substances that indicated the distribution of them. Both Denby and Thompson were placed under arrest and taken before a District Court Commissioner where they were held without bond.   Arrest: Brett Allen Denby, age 37,…

It's looking like perhaps Maryland's latest COVID-19 surge has turned a corner. Some encouraging numbers from the state health department are being reported again in some of the key COVID-19 metrics. The number of hospitalizations is down to just over 3,000 after topping out at more than 3,400 only a week ago. Maryland Governor Larry Hogan… Hogan says waiting for the federal government to follow through on its commitments is becoming a point of frustration…