A task force backed by District 1 Senator George Edwards has been working for several years now to improve the economy in Allegany, Washington and Garrett counties- and the hope is it will lead to a substantial state investment in the near future. The organization, known as the “Task Force on the Economic Future of Western Maryland”, is co-chaired by Edwards and Delegate Jason Buckel. The task force began as a response to the slow rate of economic growth in Maryland’s western panhandle, especially when compared to the rest of the state. During Thursday’s annual Allegany County Chamber of Commerce…

The District One legislative delegation created quite a stir in October when media reports surfaced of discussions the western Maryland officials had had with state leaders in West Virginia about a possible annexation.  Members of the delegation traveled to Charleston in September to explore the possibility. Met with immediate and strong backlash from everyone from local officials to Governor Larry Hogan- the proposal was quickly pronounced dead with members of the delegation distancing themselves from the issue. Delegate Wendell Beitzel, during Thursday’s Chamber of Commerce pre-session breakfast meeting, said he feels the media coverage was overblown. He said the reason…

Steam engine 1309 will be in service this weekend for the popular Polar Express excursion of the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. The steam engine, purchased in 2014, underwent a lengthy and costly restoration which was completed earlier this year. The Polar Express, sold out weeks ahead of time, is the most popular event on the railroad’s schedule and will provide a strong finish for what has been an outstanding year overall. WMSRR board president Mike McKay said hotels, restaurants and shops benefit from a thriving scenic railroad and a unique attraction like Maryland Thunder….

A new voice is coming to WCBC Radio this weekend with the premier of the Ken Matthews Show. Matthews, was a regular rotating host for The Rush Limbaugh Show and hosted the final two programs prior to Limbaugh’s death. Matthews has been named one of the 100 most important talk radio show hosts in America by TALKERS Magazine.  Although a conservative, Matthews says he believes his show will have wide appeal…

Allegany County Tourism has announced its winners for the fourth annual Mountain Maryland Photo Contest. The contest opened in May of 2021 as a way to collect photos that tell the county’s story of culture and lifestyle, giving community members and visitors the ability to submit photos in four categories – Outdoor Recreation, Scenic Landscapes, History and Heritage, and Arts and Culture. With a record number of over 390 qualifying submissions, a panel of five judges, made up of marketing and/or arts professionals, selected the top three winners in each category, as follows:   Outdoor Recreation: First Place – “Fishing…

On Friday, December 17, 2021, for the afternoon run ONLY, ACPS bus #92 will also transport students from bus #96 for Mountain Ridge High School and George's Creek Elementary School along with students who ride bus #92.

UPMC Western Maryland continues to follow all state of Maryland directives. We are open and available, and we are committed to serve our communities. UPMC Western Maryland has many options and resources to provide unscheduled care to our patients as effectively and efficiently as possible.   Each day we evaluate our experiences and processes to best serve our patients, something even more important during this pandemic. We’ll continue to do all we can to make sure we have the capacity to meet needs of anyone seeking care.   Our ask and reminder during this holiday season is for everyone eligible for COVID-19…

The Cumberland Police Department has been working with the Allegany County Board of Education on a school issue today. This morning CPD was contacted by a concerned citizen who advised they had seen a post on social media which was a photo of writing on a wall which read, “Don't come to school Dec. 16th 2021 School Shooting"  The post was not directed towards and specific person or school.  The Cumberland Police Department assisted by the Allegany County Sheriff’s Office and C3I are investigating the origins of the picture.  The picture does not appear to be associated with any schools…

On Wednesday, December 15, 2021 at approximately 10:38 PM, officers of the Cumberland Police Department responded to a business on Ali Ghan Rd. in reference to a subject under the influence of a controlled dangerous substance.  Officers contacted the suspect, Howard Eugene Wolf Jr, as he was exiting a vehicle.  Wolf was detained and CDS was located inside the vehicle in plain view of the officer.  Additional CDS was located inside the vehicle and on the ground.  Wolf was placed under arrest and transported to the police station for processing.  He was then transported to Central Booking.  Wolf was later…

After months of talks that began in the fall of 2019 and continued through spring of 2020 about a possible merger of the Cumberland Economic Development Corporation with Allegany County’s economic development department- those negotiations abruptly ended. During an economic development strategic plan briefing this week- city officials discussed revisiting the concept. While both the CEDC board and the county commissioners voted to approve a merger early in 2020- those talks ultimately fell apart largely due to what insiders described as politics and turf battles. Issues of disgreement ranged from which entity would actually be in charge, to where the…