Maryland lawmakers have voted unanimously to approve the emergency gas tax holiday to help battle the rising gas prices here in the State. On Thursday, both the House and Senate voted to pass the emergency bill. The chambers must sign off on each other’s bills before they go to Gov. Larry Hogan's desk for final approval and signing. This is expected to happen as early as Friday. The action, first proposed by Comptroller Peter Franchot, was met with wide bi-partisan support and was pushed for by Governor Larry Hogan. The bill enables Maryland gas stations to stop charging the state…

The newly appointed Carver Community Center Board will meet on Tuesday as efforts to rehabiliate the dilapidated facility begin in earnest.  Located at 340 Frederick Street,  the facility was constructed in 1921, where it operated as the George Washington Carver High School. It later served as the original Allegany Community College but later the building  fell into disrepair until a $1.5 million renovation was performed in 2003. The facility subsequently reopened at the Carver Community Center in 2004 and was organized as a tax-exempt nonprofit. However, once again, the facility fell into neglect and disrepair, suffering vandalism which led to…

In a year of extraordinary budget surpluses, Maryland lawmakers are planning to set aside $800 million to cover future costs of the state’s sweeping education reform law known as the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. The decision was made in recognition of last week’s announcement that revenues are projected to be $1.6 billion higher than previously estimated, on top of a budget surplus that already was huge. The reform blueprint for the state’s K-12 schools is being phased in over a decade, with costs rising in later years. While state lawmakers work toward finalizing the education allocation, the Allegany County School…

Maryland leaders are responding to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's powerful address to congress. WBAL repots the Maryland governor, congressmen and senators all agree the United States needs to step up to help Ukraine. Congressman John Sarbanes spoke to Zelensky's pleas, saying the U.S. is going to be a "steadfast ally" of Ukraine. He said one of the best ways to help is to provide support for Ukrainians who have escaped the country…

U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), author of the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and a senior member of the Senate Finance and Senate Foreign Relations committees, praised the House of Representatives Thursday after bipartisan passage of the Suspending Normal Trade Relations with Russia and Belarus Act. The legislation passed the House 424-8. In addition to revoking free trade privileges for Russia, similar to the No Trading with Invaders Act (S. 3725) Senator Cardin introduced earlier this month with Senator Rob Portman, the legislation would reauthorize the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and extend potential sanctions to enablers of…

Maryland lawmakers have voted unanimously to approve the emergency gas tax holiday to help battle the rising gas prices here in the State. On Thursday, both the House and Senate voted to pass the emergency bill. The chambers must sign off on each other’s bills before they go to Gov. Larry Hogan's desk for final approval and signing. This is expected to happen as early as Friday. The bill will temporarily eliminate the tax on gasoline, saving around $.36 per gallon across Maryland. The average price per gallon in Maryland is currently $4.21 per gallon. Both chambers must reconcile each…

With the Sunday in the Park Concert Series returning for the 2022 season (Memorial Day through Labor Day), the Parks and Recreation Department is in search of local musical performance groups or individuals to round out the 2022 schedule. Musical acts will perform under the stars on Sunday evenings at the Constitution Park Amphitheatre from 7:30-9:00 p.m. on the agreed upon Sunday, and are compensated for their performance. Interested persons or groups should contact Diane Johnson, Director of the Parks and Recreation Department, by calling 301-759-6636 or sending an email to diane.johnson@cumberlandmd.gov.

The Dapper Dan Club of Allegany County, Inc. has announced the date of Sunday, May 1 for the 2021-22 Dapper Dan Sports Award Banquet. It will be slated to begin at 4 p.m. in the Ali Ghan Shrine Club Ballroom with appetizers and drinks served prior to the start of the ceremony.  “We are pleased to bring back the banquet after a year absence due to the pandemic,” Dapper Dan dinner chairman Adam Sterne said. “It is a prestigious event held yearly to recognize the area’s athletes and volunteers with nearly 30 awards presented.” The format will stay as the…

Rocky Gap Casino Resort, located at 16701 Lakeview Road NE, donated $5,000 in support of local programs through the 18th annual Hooley Plunge. In addition to the donation, 12 Rocky Gap team members participated in the plunge on Saturday, March 5. The 12 brave team members at Rocky Gap joined hundreds who dove into the ice-cold water of Lake Habeeb to raise money for local organizations supporting the developmentally disabled including the Special Olympics of Allegany County, Friends Aware, the Boy Scouts and more. 

The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) will begin work next week on the final phase of the MD 51 (Oldtown Road) bridge deck replacement project in Allegany County. Beginning Monday, March 21,and continuing through the end of summer, crews will work 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays to remove the existing deck, install temporary shoring and dig out the abutments on the bridge, which is over the C&O Canal. Traffic on the bridge during construction will be reduced to one alternating lane, with use of temporary traffic signals on each end to alternate traffic through a…