On February 13th, 2022, The Cumberland City Police served a Criminal Summons on Bethany Lauran Ritz, 28, of Springfield WV. The Summons was in reference to an incident which occurred on January 30th, at a business in the 900 block of Oldtown Rd. During this incident, it is alleged that Ritz conspired with another subject while a theft was completed at the business. Ritz was served the summons and released, pending trial in District Court. Arrested: Bethany Lauran Ritz                Age: 28 Charges: Conspiracy to Commit Theft

The Allegany County Commissioners Thursday approved a total of $365,000 to go toward the Baltimore Street Comprehensive Investment Program. The county investment will consist of a $200,000 match for a downtown façade improvement grant; a $150,000 match for downtown residential improvement grant; and a $15,000 match for a downtown business attraction grant. The county’s financial contribution will from the Community Enhancement Fund and will be awarded to the Cumberland Economic Development Corporation. Cumberland Mayor Ray Morriss said the program can be coordinated with the existing plans in place for the downtown mall…

Legalizing recreational marijuana is a step closer to reality in Maryland as the debate continues in Annapolis. The House of Delegates is giving preliminary approval to a constitutional amendment that if approved by voters in November, would legalize recreational marijuana. The House is also debating the enabling legislation that would go into effect if voters approve it.  WBAL reports Republicans have proposed amendments including one by the House minority leader to make it a misdemeanor if someone is smoking marijuana in public. Democrats argued that would unfairly target Black people and other minorities. House Minority Leader Jason Buckel strongly disagreed…

The 45th Annual Mountain Maryland PACE event in Annapolis is scheduled for next Thursday and Friday and there are some noticeable changes.  Among the differences this year, the event is being held in March rather than January; it will start a half hour earlier;  and will have a new home with at the Westin Annapolis Hotel. PACE co-chair Jeremy Irons tells WCBC News that after a year off in 2021 due to COVID restrictions and a forced delay this year due to a COVID spike, all systems are go for next week’s two day Western Maryland showcase. He said working…

The Maryland state Board of Education voted this week to make school face mask policies a local decision – but that's not the final word. The board's 12-2 vote paves the way for the General Assembly's Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review to take the final vote. The committee approved the current masking regulation and will have to be the one to lift it- and a vote is expected today.  Cheryl Bost, President of the Maryland Education Association- the union representing Maryland’s teachers- feels the process is being rushed…

U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen made the rounds on Thursday news programs- with strong attacks on Vladimir Putin and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Saying that Putin has “blood on his hands”- the Maryland Democrat said its time to deploy the toughest of economic sanctions…

All Allegany County Public Schools are on a 3-HOUR DELAY tomorrow, Friday, February 25, 2022. All morning pre-kindergarten classes are cancelled, and no breakfast will be served. Please note that if the delay status changes to a closure, this announcement will be made no later than 8:30 a.m. tomorrow morning. 

Due to projected ice accumulation through tomorrow morning, the Allegany County Fairgrounds drive-thru COVID testing clinic will open late on Friday, February 25.  Clinic hours will be 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. that day.

Allegany County Government, in collaboration with Garrett County Government and the state’s Maryland Department of Commerce, was awarded $75K by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) to support Western Maryland’s outdoor economy. The project will develop a recruitment and strategic plan to attract outdoor recreation/lifestyle manufacturing to locate, expand, and grow in Western Maryland.  The project comes at the heels of the State of Maryland’s Maryland Outdoor Recreation Economic (MORE) Commission report, which was released in December of 2019. The Commission, which was tasked by Governor Larry Hogan to develop innovative strategies to market Maryland’s unique outdoor and heritage recreation brand…

Governor Larry Hogan today announced that the State of Maryland’s COVID-19 hospitalizations have dropped below 500—another major milestone for the state’s declining health metrics. In addition, three more casino-based booster clinics open at noon today at MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Horseshoe Baltimore Casino, and Hollywood Casino Perryville. Hospitalizations: 480, ICU: 90. Since peaking last month just below 3,500, Maryland’s COVID-19 hospitalizations have declined by 86%. COVID-19 ICU levels statewide have dropped below 100 for the first time since Aug. 8, 2021.  Positivity Rate: 2.87%. Since peaking last month just below 30%, Maryland’s COVID-19 positivity rate has declined by…