On Sunday, September 12th, 2021 the Cumberland Police Department responded to a Springdale Street business for the report of possible abduction.  The caller believed that one of his employees may have been abducted by her boyfriend.  Officers spoke with the manager who advised that Dustin Michael Driver entered the establishment, caused a disturbance and demanded that his employee leave with him.  The manager told Driver that she could not leave at that time because of the store was busy with customers but, Driver told him he didn’t care and became even more irate.  The female then left with Driver in…

A two-year Baltimore City school system investigation has found that administrators at one city high school schemed to inflate enrollment, pressured teachers to change grades and scheduled students into classes that didn’t exist. Maryland’s Lt Governor Boyd Rutherford said that unfortunately incidents of undeserving students being promoted to the next grade level is not unique to Baltimore- as there have been cases reported system wide through the years. Rutherford said there will obviously be repercussions resulting from this latest incident- and the hope it that it resonates with every school system in Maryland…

In his final meeting as a council member last week, Seth Bernard moved to tackle the issue of salaries for the city’s elected officials. He noted that the last time the compensation for the mayor and council members was increased was 1981. He requested a vote be taken to order the city’s salary and benefits commission to study the compensation for the elected officials. Council members make $4,800 and the mayor $7,200 annually. Bernard suggested a compensation hike could help attract a younger, more diverse and  more qualified field of candidates. The council voted unanimously to the Citizens Advisory Commission…

Despite COVID-19 cases surging, schools closing and outbreaks across the state- West Virginia Governor Jim Justice is continuing to reject requests for another indoor mask mandate. An earlier mandate was lifted in June. When a reporter asked Justice if his refusal to move in that direction is due to fear of potential political backlash- the governor quickly dismissed that narrative…

Review processes from state and federal highway administrations are ongoing for the  $9.7 million Baltimore Street Redevelopment Project.  Matt Miller, executive director of Cumberland Economic Development Corp, gave an update on the project at a meeting of the Downtown Development Commission Thursday. The redevelopment project is expected to include replacement of underground utility lines followed by reinstalling Baltimore Street through the pedestrian mall. City officials had hoped the project would get underway in the fall, however the reviews will likely place the breaking of ground into spring of 2022. While numerous delays over the past several years have many in…

On the morning after DelFest organizers announced that this year’s festival has been canceled- they joined WCBC’s “Dave Norman Show” to discuss the decision and where the event goes from here. On Thursday afternoon,  the organizations facebook page posted a letter to fans from the family explaining that the decision was due to a local labor shortage caused by a surge in COVID-19 cases driven by the Delta variant that has left the festival’s event services company unable to field a team for DelFest.  Rob McCoury said that every effort was made to put on this year’s festival, but in the…

Making a surprise appearance at Heritage days on Saturday Western Maryland scenic railroads steam engine 1309 cross the bridge from West Virginia into Maryland for its first time. With its fresh coat of paint engine 1309 was on static display for visitors Saturday. During WCBCs live broadcast of the event Wesley Hines executive director of the scenic railroad spoke about the upcoming Federal inspection and plans for 1309 to pull the Polar Express this holiday season.  

Heritage day's festivities took a pause Saturday morning to honor those lives lost and the heroes marking the 20th anniversary of the September 11th. Church bells rang across Cumberland followed by a 21 gun salute and taps from Washington st. Jonathan Dayton of Allegany/Garrett county's fire rescue association presented remarks focused on the first responders who ran to help those in need.

Mineral County Schools Superintendent Troy Ravenscroft posted the following message on his Facebook page Sunday afternoon.   This message is for families of Keyser Primary School and Keyser Middle School: KPS and KMS will be remote learning tomorrow, September 13th due to the additional Covid cases and quarantines impacting these schools, which we received today. Tomorrow, we will evaluate the overall impact on each school and determine if a longer period of remote learning is needed. We will provide updates tomorrow, no later than 5pm. Staff will report normally.

OPEN 11 AM – 5 PM Seventeenth Century   Emmanuel Service – 9 am with George Washington and Ben Franklin Emmanuel Episcopal Church • Tunnel Tours • Strawberry Short Cake • New Rose Hill Cemetery Tours • Fort Cumberland Model and Mountainside Baroque at Hoye House Scenic Railroad Programs • Hands On Throttle – 8:30 am • Frostburg Flyer – 11:30 am The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad will also have Steam Engine 1309 on display at the Western Maryland Station. Downtown McCoury Stage • Sam DeMartino • Janice Ray &Friends • Risque Rock n’ Roll Prospect Square Stage • The Cramer…