A few months ago, the distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine produced by Johnson and Johnson was put on hold so rare reports of blood clotting could be evaluated. In West Virginia, Retired Major General Jim Hoyer reported recently that demand for the single dose medication had slowed to a crawl. Now comes word that the shelf life of the J & J vaccine has been extended by a month and a half…

Last week’s meeting of the Allegany County Board of Education was the final session as student board member for Mitchell Septoff with Brooklyne Noel introduced as his replacement for the next year. Septoff, who has been outspoken on a variety of issues during his tenure, used his parting remarks describing how his fellow students perceive the elected school board. He reports that the impression is not a positive one with many students feeling as though their voices aren’t being heard…  

After a vaccine rollout that garnered national attention, and now a spring in which West Virginia Senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito have been the key players in major debates in Washington, the Mountain State is being seen in a different light. WCBC's Paul Mullan asked Governor Jim Justice if his relationship has improved with Senator Manchin, after some acrimony in January…    

Several local fire companies and EMS are responding to a house fire in Knobley Estates. We'll have more information as it becomes available.  

Maryland’s VaxCash giveaway is at its halfway point and anticipation is building for the $400,000 grand prize drawing on July 4.  Any Marylander 18 or older who has been vaccinated is eligible to play. No registration or entry is needed. Prizes will be paid directly from the Lottery’s marketing budget, and will not diminish the Lottery’s contribution to the Maryland General Fund.  None of the winners so far have been western Maryland residents. 

The National Weather Service in Sterling, Virginia, has posted a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for our listening area until 9:00 PM. Counties include Allegany, Garrett, Mineral, Hampshire, Grant, Morgan and Hardy.

The Allegany County Health will hold a COVID-19 walk-in vaccination clinic on Saturday, June 19 during the Juneteenth celebration in Downtown Cumberland. The clinic will take place in the first floor conference room of the Fairfield Inn, directly adjacent to Canal Place and within easy walking distance of the festivities. The complete list of health department walk-in clinics happening this week is as follows:   June 15 from 1 to 4 p.m.: Allegany County Health Department, Ground Floor, Willowbrook Office Complex, 12501 Willowbrook Road, Cumberland, MD. June 16 from 9 a.m. to noon: Potomac Fire Company #2, 61 Main Street,…

Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh today joined a coalition of attorneys general in urging the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to require U.S. companies to provide detailed and accurate information about the financial risk they face from climate change.  The need to mandate such disclosures is urgent and falls squarely within existing SEC authority.  In the past five years alone, climate change-related weather events cost U.S. companies more than $600 billion in direct economic damages.  Mandatory climate change-related disclosures are essential to insulate U.S. and global financial systems from systemic risk associated with climate change and to protect investors, including the many…

On Friday, June 18th, Centre Street will be closed to traffic from Union Street to Frederick Street. The street will be closed for an event starting at 0700hrs and will remain closed until approximately 1400hrs. Please plan to use an alternate route if traveling in the downtown area during this time period.

9:30AM – All lanes of Interstate 68 have reopened following a tractor-trailer fire early this morning that shut down the highway in both directions for a few hours.   9AM: The westbound lanes of Interstate 68 have reopened following a tractor-trailer fire early this morning that shut down the highway in both directions for a few hours. The eastbound lanes remain closed until further notice while livestock is being transferred off the trailer.   4:45 AM: Interstate 68 East Bound is currently closed due to a tractor trailer fire. All traffic is currently being directed off of Exit # 40 in…