UPDATE: Service has been restored. A Potomac Edison official said the problem was caused when a tree fell on a main power line. Electrical service is being restored in the Westernport area following what was described as a widespread outage in the region overnight. The cause of the problem has not been determined. There's no estimated to time for when service will be fully restored.

The Allegany County Public School System will not hold back the large number of students who failed classes this year, in favor of giving them additional time and customized instruction plans to make up gaps in their learning created by a once-in-a-century pandemic. Allegany County Superintendent of Schools Jeff Blank said he would anticipate that students will be tested in the fall to determine what skills they have missed and the schools could be asked to create a plan for each student designed to catch them up.  Instead of punishing students for circumstances they could not control, he said, the…

As vaccinations increase, fatalities and other COVID-19 related metrics are steadily declining. The Maryland Department of Health reported a positivity rate of 0.95%, its lowest since the beginning of the pandemic for the state, and down 84% since mid-April.  The state is also reporting 245 COVID-19 hospitalizations, down 32 from the previous, and also down 80% since mid-April…    

The Allegany County Board of Education was asked this week to develop a clear policy to meet the needs of trans and nonbinary students. Evan West, a parent of a child who  he said is both on the autism spectrum and transgender, told the board that when his daughter attended public schools she faced severe challenges.  Jacqie McKenzie, organizer of Cumberland Pride and  co-organizer of Western Maryland United also addressed the board- noting that  that neighboring counties have already updated their policies. Board member Deb Frank acknowledged that it is an issue that has largely been ignored by the school…

After infrastructure negotiations with the Biden administration fell apart this week, West Virginia Senator  Shelley Moore Capito said  she was “frustrated” that the White House kept sending mixed messages.  Capito, who had been leading talks for Republicans, told Fox News that in the end no deal could be reached with the two sides ending up about $700 billion away from each other.  Capito’s comments Wednesday were more critical than her statement Tuesday after President Joe Biden ended infrastructure negotiations with her…    

A week after Governor Larry Hogan announced he is discontinuing the federal government's expanded pandemic unemployment benefits, many Marylanders say they are having an issue with the unemployment website. WBAL reports recipients who are trying to submit a weekly filing said they are being told to re-apply. Because of the change to the online portal, a button that says re-apply – a lot of Marylanders were not able to submit their weekly jobless claims. Officials at the Maryland Department of Labor said there's no tech issue but recipients say that crucial information came after the fact. According to the state department of…

Maryland hospitals and health systems will require all employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19. On Wednesday, the University of Maryland Medical System and Johns Hopkins Medicine announced their COVID-19 vaccine requirements for employees. UMMS officials said starting Sept. 1, all team members will be required to receive their vaccination or participate in weekly testing. Officials also said all leaders at the manager level and above will have until Aug. 1 to be vaccinated or comply with weekly testing

Governor Larry Hogan today announced two major COVID-19 milestones for Maryland: For the first time, the state’s 7-day positivity rate has dropped below 1%. Half of all Marylanders are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to official CDC data. The state has reached this milestone faster than 42 other states. 

As of June 9, 2021, the Board of Directors of the Western Maryland Scenic railroad unanimously voted to appoint Wesley Heinz to the position of interim executive director while Mr. John Garner, current director, was granted a 60 day sabbatical to address health and family concerns. Mr. Heinz comes to WMSR with extensive experience and a proven leadership background and is the current Executive Director of the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co. & Museum in Portland, Maine. His experience includes historic preservation, revenue generating events, comprehensive fundraising and marketing.  Wesley is responsible for increased daily performance, improved cost-saving measures and…

The City of Cumberland Independence Day Fireworks at Constitution Park will be taking place on Sunday, July 4, 2021, commencing at approximately 9:30 p.m. Leading up to the fireworks display, Constitution Park Pool will be open on July 4th from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with the park closing to the public at 4:00 p.m. Pine Avenue will be closing to thru traffic at 4:00 also, but local traffic will still have access to their homes. In the unlikely event of rain, Monday, July 5th has been set as the rain date. Any questions regarding the City’s Independence Day Celebration…