While Maryland's congressional delegation has no jurisdiction over the U.S. Postal Service,  they do have the power of publicity. Complaints of severely slow mail service has been a complaint in Cumberland for several years now. WBAL reports that Representative Dutch Ruppersberger visited a number of post offices this week that have experienced slow mail service and delayed delivery- and he also met with some of the new leadership team the post office has put in place in Maryland. Behind closed doors, Ruppersberger met with Lora McLucas, the new Maryland district manager. He said he was encouraged to hear her recognize the…

The Cumberland Mayor and City Council voted this week to seek ownership of the industrial dam beneath the Blue Bridge. Constructed in 1955, the span connecting Cumberland and Ridgeley, is now viewed as an impediment to the proposed $15 million Canal Place river park project. The action approves a letter be sent to the state of Maryland and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers asking that ownership be assigned to Cumberland. Ownership of the dam has been an issue of debate for many years however in 2014 the Maryland Attorney General’s Office studied the matter and issued the opinion that…

Population declines in Allegany and Garrett counties could lead to a change in boundaries of Maryland Senate District 1 to include more of Washington County. That was a focal point of many of those who spoke at a recent Legislative Redistricting Advisory Committee public hearing at Allegany College of Maryland. The primary reason that could lead to a shift east for the district: a 4.3% population decline in Garrett County and a 9.3% drop in Allegany County. At the same time there have been population increases of 5% in Washington County and 16.4% in Frederick County. State Senator George Edwards,…

To address food insecurity and recognize Hunger Action Month, Congressman David Trone (MD-06) hosted a roundtable discussion with experts on preventing hunger in Maryland's Sixth District. During the roundtable, the group discussed SNAP benefits, racial inequities, the Child Tax Credit, accurate data sharing, and how the pandemic has increased the rate of food insecurity. Congressman Trone said there are true hunger emergencies with families all across the state- but in particular, rural Maryland…

Last week it was announced that Maryland ended its 2021 fiscal year with $2.5 billion in unassigned funds. Comptroller Peter Franchot said he hopes to reinvest in those still struggling from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Franchot recommended placing most of the state’s surplus in a rainy day fund and delivering funds to those who may need it most. During his most recent press conference, Governor Larry Hogan said discussions on how best to utilize the surplus are ongoing…

Maryland Deputy Transportation Secretary Sean Powell met with Allegany County officials today to discuss the Draft FY 2022 – FY 2027 Consolidated Transportation Program (CTP), which details the Maryland Department of Transportation’s (MDOT) six-year capital budget. The meeting was part of MDOT’s annual tour of 23 Maryland counties and Baltimore City to update local officials and the public on the Hogan Administration’s $16.4 billion investment over the next six years in transit, highways, motor vehicle services, the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. More information on the CTP process is available at http://ctp.maryland.gov.   “As promised, we crafted this budget to invest in preserving our…

COVID-19 statistics in Allegany County showed some improvement since Monday, with the number of cases per 100,000 people dropping from 60.86 to 44.63.  However, that figure is still significantly higher than the statewide average of 19.36 cases per 100,000 people.  The county’s positivity rate for COVID-19 was also down slightly, but remains almost double the statewide average. A Pfizer COVID vaccine booster clinic is scheduled this Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Allegany County Fairgrounds.  In order to obtain a booster shot, individuals must have received their second dose of the Pfizer vaccine between January and April…

WBAL TV reports the man accused of killing three people wanted to confront his brother, who he's accused of killing, based on his profession and COVID-19 vaccines. That is according to court papers obtained by WBAL News. Jeffrey Allen Burnham, 46, was arrested in West Virginia after a manhunt last week. He was extradited Tuesday back to Allegany County on charges of murder and auto theft. Burnham is accused of killing three people in Maryland: Rebecca Reynolds, 83, in Cumberland, and his brother, Brian Robinette, and sister-in-law, Kelly Robinette, in Ellicott City. The court papers indicate Burnham was charged in Howard County with two…

U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (both D-Md.), along with nearly 50 of their senate colleagues, reintroduced legislation Tuesday to restore the landmark Voting Rights Act (VRA) and stop the spreading scourge of voter suppression.  The legislation – the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act – is named for an icon of the Civil Rights movement, the late Congressman John Lewis, and reflects an update to legislation introduced in the last Congress. In the wake of the Supreme Court’s damaging Shelby County decision in 2013 – which crippled the federal government’s ability under the 1965 Voting Rights Act…

At some point in the day, everyone is a pedestrian. Whether you walk your child to school or walk from your vehicle’s parking lot to the office, each of us walks where vehicles travel. Unfortunately, pedestrian fatalities remain high. In 2019, 6,205 pedestrians died nationwide. In West Virginia, 31 pedestrians were killed by drivers in 2019. This is why the West Virginia Governor’s Highway Safety Program (GHSP) is joining with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in observing national Pedestrian Safety Month during October 2021.   We rarely are more vulnerable than when walking in…