Clinical laboratory jobs, 50 at WVU Medicine and 139 at UPMC, are on Allegany College of Maryland’s Medical Laboratory Technology Program Director Stacey Rohrbaugh’s mind. She is currently accepting applications for the college’s next cohort of Medical Laboratory Technology program students. The priority deadline is November 1.    “We invite more students to choose this field of study. Our graduates are in demand and COVID-19 has only magnified the existing shortage. The impact on patient care is clear: When you lack in-house laboratory technicians, phlebotomists and scientists to do blood draws and conduct testing, institutions could be forced to send out their testing or…

A 25-year-old inmate of the Western Correctional Institution was taken to UPMC Western Maryland after being stabbed Monday night, according to the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. A Cresaptown Volunteer Fire Department ambulance was dispatched to the maximum-security prison in Cresaptown at about 8:20 p.m. for a report of an inmate who suffered multiple stab wounds. The inmate, 25, reportedly suffered injuries that were not life-threatening in nature, according to DPSCS spokesperson Lt. Latoya T. Gray. The stabbing reportedly took place in a housing unit and remains under investigation by DPSCS detectives and WCI officials.

The Joine Communications Center of Allegany County reported a tractor trailer brake fire just before Interstate 68 at exit 43 D early this morning.  Interstate 68 was closed for a short time  

According to the Cumberland Fire Department, six adults and a child were displaced early Tuesday when fire broke out in a ground-floor apartment of a two-story residence at 619 Baker Street. No injuries were reported in the 5:07 a.m. blaze where first-arriving firefighters found smoke and flames coming from the first floor apartment occupied by three adults and a child. The Cumberland Times News reports those occupants, plus three adults who resided in a second-floor apartment, escaped the fire without injury — thanks to a smoke alarm that activated in the apartment where the fire originated in the living room….

On October 11th, 2021, officers of the Cumberland Police Department served two Arrest Warrants on Jules Michael Schwarz Jr. The Arrest Warrants were issued by the District Court after he failed to appear for two of his trials. The first trial was scheduled for August 31st, 2021 and the charges were false statement to an officer, and false statement to a state official. The second trial was scheduled for August 27th, 2021 and the charge was for theft less than $100. Schwarz was taken before a District Court Commissioner where he was released on his own recognizance.   Arrest: Jules…

In order to raise awareness about housing resources available to tenants and landlords struggling to make ends meet during the COVID-19 pandemic, Representative David Trone hosted a virtual conversation with Danielle Meister, the Senior Policy Officer and Emergency Rental Assistance Program Director for the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. Trone helped create the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which is helping to save countless Marylanders from eviction. One of the most commonly asked questions centers on how to know if you are eligible for rental assistance…

The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) Monday announced an update on the top 10 and bottom 10 skilled nursing facilities in the state ranked by percentage of staff with at least one dose of a vaccine against COVID-19. Once again it is a good news/bad news report for local nursing care facilities. While Allegany Health Nursing and Rehabilitation in Cumberland and Moran Nursing and Rehabilitation in Westernport are in the top ten; Cumberland Healthcare Center and Sterling Care at Frostburg Village are among the worst in the state. Joe DeMattos is President and CEO of Health Facilities Association of Maryland…

At his most recent news conference, Governor Larry Hogan made his first public comments since the federal and state indictment of his former Chief of Staff Roy McGrath this week. McGrath is accused of fraudulently obtaining funds from the Maryland Environmental Services corporation and illegally recording private conversations with senior state officials without their consent. Hogan said his office has been cooperating with federal prosecutors and that he has talked to federal investigators…

Allegany County government has begun the process of distributing some $14 million in American Rescue Plan funding- announcing a series of actions during the regular meeting of the County Commissioners. Jason Bennett, Allegany County administrator, said the funding may be used to maintain government services during the pandemic, water/sewer and broadband infrastructure, premium pay for essential employees and aid to households, small businesses, nonprofits and impacted industries such as tourism and hospitality.  On Thursday the commissioners took action approving allocations to public works; internet service providers; the sheriffs patrol division; county detention center; states attorney office; and the tourism office…

On the day that West Virginia, lagging the nation, finally hit the 50% plateau of all residents vaccinated, West Virginia Governor Jim Justice reported the 82 new COVID deaths and 28 reconciliation deaths since his last report Thursday. The state now has 3,976 deaths and, if the seven-day average of 12 deaths per day holds, will reach 4,000 during Justice's next pandemic briefing Wednesday. Justice made it clear that he considers vaccination the state's only legitimate means for fighting COVID in the face of the contagious and more serious Delta variant of the virus. While the governor said it appears…