The Allegany County Board of Education voted 3-2 on Tuesday to change the ACPS mask policy from a mandate to a choice. Schools Superintendent Jeff Blank explained the details of his recommendation… Board Member Deb Frank was in the minority of the 3 to 2 vote:

Cumberland City Administrator Jeff Silka last night recommended that the city pursue using the Mason Sports Complex for the long talked about skate park. Silka said a group of city department heads considered Jaycee Field, Constitution Park and the Mason Complex… Funding for the project has not yet been secured, but it was pointed out that grants for the project would require a proposed location.

West Virginia Governor Jim Justice yesterday announced another 60 million dollar surplus, this time for the month of February. Noting that finishing months in the green had become routine, WCBC’s Paul Mullan asked Governor Justice if he had identified where he would like to see the money used… Justice said that any final determination wouldn’t take place until he consults with legislative and other leaders across the state.

The Allegany County Board of Education voted Tuesday 3-2 to change the mask requirement for students from mandatory to optional beginning Wednesday, March 2. Board Members Crystal Bender, Bob Farrell and David Bohn voted to approve the recomendation of Superintendant Jeff Blank, with Debra Frank and Tammy Fraley opposed. Frank, Fraley and non boting student member Brookline Noel said it would be prudent for another two weeks until the high local COVID levels come out of the high transmission designation, and expressed fear that the low vaccination rate combined with the removal of masks in the schools would lead to…

Governor Jim Justice announced today that he has signed an Executive Order which directs the West Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Administration (ABCA) to cease the purchase and sale of all Russian produced liquor until further notice. View the Executive Order here. The Governor also directed the WVABCA Commissioner to order and make Ukrainian made liquor brands available for purchase by licensed retail liquor outlets depending on their availability. West Virginia currently distributes four brands of Russian liquor: Russian Standard, Beluga Vodka, Moskovskaya, and Hammer & Sickle Russian Vodka. The WVABCA estimates that there are approximately 73 cases of Russian liquor in…

Comptroller Peter Franchot today sent a letter to Martin M. Noven, executive director of the Maryland State Retirement and Pension System, urging the agency to immediately divest from any investments in Russian entities. Comptroller Franchot serves as chairman of the MSRPS Board of Trustees. As part of a diverse portfolio, the pension system – directly and indirectly – invests in stocks, holdings and bonds in Russian entities. As of February 18, 2022, the System held $197 million in market value in Russian entities. According to the Pension System’s investment division, the system’s Russian investment portfolio has lost approximately $101 million in…

On Monday, February 28, 2022 at approximately 12:22 PM, an employee at a business on Virginia Avenue reported to a Cumberland police officer that they were receiving complaints about a male and female engaging in a sexual act outside of the business.  Officers contacted the subjects and ordered them to cease their behavior.  The male was identified as Joshua Wright.   Wright randomly shouted despite being repeatedly ordered to stop his behavior.  Wright’s behavior attracted the attention of employees and patrons.  Wright was arrested and a search of his person incident to arrest revealed that he was in possession of CDS…

An arrest has been made after a vehicle chase in the Lonaconing area Sunday afternoon that resulted in a crash.     An Allegany County Sheriff’s Deputy attempted to make a traffic stop for speeding, when the vehicle slowed and then sped away, weaving through traffic before crashing into a tree.   The driver, 22 year old Davonnte Rayshawn Wilson, of Hagerstown, then fled on foot and was later apprehended by assisting officers from Maryland State Police, other deputies and Trooper 5.  A citizen helped by pointing out that Wilson was in a nearby yard.    The officer that made the initial…

There is an old cliché about every dark cloud having a silver lining- and when it comes to the Coronavirus pandemic-  that may come in the form of more people than ever working from home. And that could halt the decades long population decline in the region. With billions of dollars coming from the federal infrastructure bill to upgrade and expand broadband access in rural Allegany and Garrett counties- Governor Larry Hogan says the area could experience a reverse migration. He told WCBC News that he can picture a scenario where more and more people opt to leave large metropolitan areas…

The staff at the West Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind singing the school song Sunday, after a Saturday fire destroyed the administration building in Romney. morning, West Virginia Schools Superintendent Clayton Burch was joined for a briefing by the ATF and Deputy State Fire Marshal Jason Baltic…     Officials would not comment on if there is any indication the fire was either accidental or intentionally set. This is the special agent in charge for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms…