Weekly COVID Update: For the 7-day period of October 1-7,  Braddock Middle School met the Maryland Department of Health definition of a school-wide outbreak of COVID-19.  Fort Hill High School, Mountain Ridge High School, Allegany High School and the Career Center remain on the MDH list of schools with School Wide Outbreaks. ACPS had two schools with classrooms/cohorts that met the definition of a classroom/cohort outbreak:  Bel Air Elementary School and West Side Elementary School. ACPS had six staff members and 41 students reported as positive for COVID-19 during this time and five staff members and 116 students were identified as a close…

The Allegany County Health Department has confirmed four incidences of rabies in foxes in the LaVale area since April, with the most recent case identified on October 5 on Mt. Savage Road.  Other confirmed cases occurred on Avondale Avenue (April 16), Braddock Road (May 10), and near the narrows in lower LaVale (August 19).  In each case, a rabid fox approached humans or their pets in broad daylight and was acting aggressively.  Rural western Maryland has a wide variety of wildlife, and encounters with native animals are common, but health officials want to remind the public that it is never…

The Cumberland Mayor and City Council this week continued discussed focused on plans for a new skate park- with Jaycees Field off Furnace Street surfacing as the favorite- although no final decisions are close.  Estimates are constructing a new skate board facility would be in the $450,000 range- and the city has been working with a  group of advocates for the park in attempting to identify funding sources.  City councilman Rock Cioni, who sits on the city's Parks and Recreation board, says that while Jaycees Field is gaining momentum not all of the members are on board…                           

The president of the Allegany County NAACP, urged county officials Thursday to increase efforts to promote mask-wearing in the area in hopes of slowing the spread of COVID-19. Allegany County has one of the lowest vaccination rates in Maryland and has the state’s highest case rate. Tifani Fisher, president of the county NAACP chapter, blasted Allegany County Commissioners President Jake Shade accusing him of playing politics by not mandating mask wearing in the county. Shade reiterated his earlier stance that there will be no mask mandates- focusing instead in urging everyone eligible to get vaccinated…                                 

During his regular Coronavirus press briefing Thursday,  West Virginia Governor Jim Justice blasted a a request by Charleston's mayor for a special session to deal with substance abuse, homelessness and mental health.  Charleston Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin sent a letter to Justice, Senate President Craig Blair and House Speaker Roger Hanshaw.   Justice brushed off Goodwin's letter as a political move designed to get her name in the paper…                               Citing information from the National Alliance of Homelessness, Justice said data shows that homelessness in West Virginia is decreasing- with the…

With COVID-19 cases on the rise and outbreaks occurring in schools across the state including Allegany County- some state lawmakers are calling for a vaccine mandate for Maryland’s teachers.  Last year, dominant strains of COVID-19 posed the greatest health risk to adults, while children were less likely to face severe illness or hospitalization. Still, students attended school remotely, largely to protect the adults around them.  But now, with more and more young people getting infected, Maryland’s Senate President Bill Ferguson says the game has now changed…                           

Maryland transportation officials met with local officials in Allegany County Thursday afternoon- and Delegate Jason Buckel took the opportunity voice frustration with the lack of progress on the Baltimore Street redevelopment project.  The $9.7 million  redevelopment project is expected to include replacement of underground utility lines followed by reinstalling Baltimore Street through the pedestrian mall. The project has been discussed for more than five years with a late spring groundbreaking the latest target for construction. Buckel said with the legislative delegation having worked to secure state funding for the project for several years- it is frustrating to see no actual work taking place…

                           A woman who died in a Frostburg apartment fire was identified Thursday by state fire investigators. Trina Lou Wengerd, 54, died Tuesday from smoke inhalation and thermal burns, the state medical examiner concluded. Volunteer firefighters found Wengerd in a second-floor apartment at 316 Braddock St., where the fire started about 2:30 p.m. Investigators believe Wengerd was sleeping on a couch in the living room and woke up to the fire, said Senior Deputy Fire Marshal Oliver Alkire of the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal. Witnesses said they heard "thuds" about 10 minutes before the fire was discovered,…

The Greater Cumberland Committee has been awarded a $175,000 grant by the Rural Maryland Council to help develop an effective marketing system for timber harvested in Maryland. The Cumberland Times News reports TGCC secured $90,000 in matching cash and in-kind contributions for the effort, bringing the total project budget to $265,000. The grant was made possible by the Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund.  TGCC proposed to use the funding to promote Maryland wood products as a preferred option for commercial, institutional and retail buyers through a certified branding program. Jennifer Walsh, executive director of TGCC, said the project became an imperative after…

On October 6th, 2021 an officer of the Cumberland Police Department observed John Michael Steven Wright and two other subjects to be involved a in a hand to hand drug transaction. The officer began their investigation and contacted Wright who admitted to being in possession of a controlled dangerous substance, and allowed the officer to search him. The officer located a quantity of a controlled dangerous substance and items of paraphernalia that indicated distribution. Wright was placed under arrest and taken before a District Court Commissioner where he was held on a $7,500 bond.   Arrest: John Michael Steven Wright,…