For the week of September 3-9, 2021, South Penn Elementary School met the Maryland Department of Health definition of a school wide outbreak of COVID-19.  There were four classrooms in the building that had at least two individuals who tested positive for COVID-19.  This outbreak resulted in the closure of one kindergarten classroom. ACPS had three schools with classrooms/cohorts that met the definition of a classroom/cohort outbreak due to two or more individuals in the classroom/cohort testing positive for COVID-19.  Fort Hill High School had two classrooms that met the definition; Allegany High School had one classroom that met the…

The City of Cumberland’s Tax and Utility Office is urging residents to utilize the City’s online options for receiving and paying utility bills. The City’s online billing portal (https://cumberlandmd.authoritypay.com) allows customers to receive their bill by email every month, alleviating any concern of lost or delayed mail. Once received, customers log in to pay their bill online, ensuring the payment is received, and eliminating the need for postage. The online portal enables residents to:  View and Print your Bill  Pay your Bill Online  View your History and Usage The City also offers Automatic Electronic Bill Payment – an automatic bank draft made on…

The Cumberland Times New reports a 39-year-old city man is being sought as a suspect in this week's armed robbery of the Press Auto Mart in Wiley Ford, West Virginia, according to the Mineral County Sheriff's Office. A warrant for Michael Tim Suder's arrest was issued Thursday by a Mineral County magistrate in conjunction with the investigation by the sheriff's office into the 4 p.m. Tuesday incident. A short time after the incident, Cumberland Police arrested Tyrell Edward Hill, 30, of Cumberland, as he was walking from Ridgeley into Cumberland on the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad bridge. Taken into custody…

DelFest organizers have canceled this year’s festival which was scheduled to take place at Allegany County Fairgrounds September 23 – 26. The next DelFest will now take place next year over Memorial Day Weekend, May 26 -29, 2022. 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 and DelFest manager Stan Strickland discussed the situation Friday morning on WCBC’s “Dave Norman Show”

On September 9th, 2021 officers of the Cumberland Police Department served an Arrest Warrant on Jerrica Leigh Hamilton. The Arrest Warrant was issued by the Circuit Court when she violated her pre sentence release conditions. Hamilton was taken to the Allegany County Detention Center where she was held without bond. Arrest: Jerrica Leigh Hamilton, age 31, Cumberland Maryland. Charges: Violation of Pre Sentence Conditions.   On September 9th, 2021 officers of the Cumberland Police Department served three Arrest Warrants on Joshua Michael D’Atri. The Arrest Warrants were issued by the District Court stemming from three separate cases. D’Atri was taken…

Some hospitals in rural parts of Maryland, West Virginia and Pennsylvania have reached their critical bed capacities as coronavirus cases and deaths continue to surge statewide. Health officials are pleading with the public to avoid unnecessary emergency room visits to allow hospitals to focus their resources on treating COVID-19 patients. Dr. Clay Marsh, is West Virginia’s coronavirus expert… While many rural hospitals are experiencing difficulties due to the COVID surge- that is not the case for UPMC Western Maryland in Cumberland. The administration issued a press release stating that: "UPMC Western Maryland does not have a shortage of beds and is not…

Heritage Days returns to Cumberland this weekend with activities and entertainment planned throughout the city center. Canceled last year due to COVID-19 concerns, the annual street festival will take place Saturday and Sunday and feature food and crafts vendors, rides and games for the kids, live music and reenactors, including George Washington. The event, free and open to families and children, takes place on the downtown pedestrian mall and Washington Street. It will be the first Heritage Days festival for Downtown Development Commission executive director Melinda Kelleher and she says there will be something for everyone…

The Maryland Department of Health Thursday 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 and highly contagious variants. Among the facilities with the best rates in the state: Allegany Health and Nursing Rehabilitation in Cumberland; and Moran Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Westernport- both with 92% rate. Among the worst in the state: Cumberland Health Care Center at 50% followed closely by Sterling Care at Frostburg Village at 52%. Governor Larry Hogan says it is alarming to…

DelFest organizers have canceled this year’s festival which was scheduled to take place at Allegany County Fairgrounds September 23 – 26. The next DelFest will now take place next year over Memorial Day Weekend, May 26 -29, 2022. 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. A letter released on the DelFest Facebook page made note of the high COVID infection rates and low vaccination rates in Allegany County as a contributing…

There will be two separate  9/11 Commemoration Ceremonies Saturday in downtown Cumberland and WCBC will be providing live coverage. First up is a ceremony at the Public Safety Building at 8:30.  Heritage day’s stage in front of the Washington Street Library at 9:45 a second ceremony will be held featuring Jonathan Dayton, from the volunteer fire and rescue association of Garrett and Allegany… Invocation by Jim Kasekamp, Chaplin for Cumberland Fire Department; recognition of the moment the South Tower collapsed with the ringing of Cumberland’s church bells, a 21 gun salute and playing of taps. Looking back at the morning of September 11th 2001- on WCBC Radio-…